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4 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Credits Lead Design: James J. Haeck, Shawn Merwin Rules Development: Alan Patrick, Ben Byrne, Benjamin Huffman, Elliot Randall, Joe Raso, Sam Mannell, Taymoor Rehman Writing: Alana Abbott, Joe Raso, Scott Fitzgerald Gray, Shawn Merwin Editing: Christopher Walz, Joe Raso, Shawn Merwin, Taymoor Rehman Proofreader: Mishka Rae Art Direction: Matt DeMino Graphic Design: Matt DeMino, Martin Hughes Cover Illustrator: Lucas Torquato Interior Illustrators: Agri Karuniawan, Andreia Ugrai, Anastasia Fedorova, Anastassia Grigorieva, Anna Verhoog, Bram Willemot, Brian Valeza, Daniel Correia, Daniela Ivanova, Diana Franco Campos, Erel Maatita, Fesbra, Felipe Pagliuso, Gustavo Rodriques, Irina Nordsol, Julio Azevedo, Kurt Jakobi, Linda Lithen, Lucas Torquato, Margarita Bourkova, Marius Bota, Martin Roca, Matheus Graef, Matthew DeMino, Mike Pape, Nathaniel Himawan, Nguygen Hieu, Ona Kristensen, Rebecca Holloway Rod Mendez, Roman Kurdi, Simon Sherry, Sergio Strano, Suzanne Helmigh, Veli Nystrom Cartographers: Damien Mammoliti Product Design: Simon Sherry, Josh Orchard Project Managers: Phil Beckwith, Kerstin Evans, Joe Raso Ownership & Copyright Creative Commons: This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at https:// dnd.wizards.com/resources/systems-reference-document. The SRD 5.1 is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License available at https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. Grim Hollow: Valikan Clans - Saga of the Seasons and Grim Hollow: Valikan Clans - The Raiders Guide to Valika © 2023, Ghostfire Gaming Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. Reference to copyright material in no way constitutes a challenge to the respective copyright holder of that material. Ghostfire Gaming Pty Ltd, the Ghostfire Gaming logo, the Grim Hollow logo, and the Valikan Clans logo are trademarks of Ghostfire Gaming Pty Ltd. Ghostfire Gaming Managing Director: Matt Witbreuk Financial Controller: James Atkins Chief Operations Officer: Nick Ingamells Creative Content Director: Ben Byrne Digital Media Specialist: Dante Szabo Ghostfire Gaming Discord Community Managers: Ian “Butters” Gratton, Nelson “Deathven” Di Carlo, Tom “Viking Walrus” Garland, Caleb “Connendarf” Englehart, Cameron “C4Burgers” Brechin Production Studio Head of Production: Simon Sherry Lead Producer: Joe Raso Principal Designer: Martin Hughes Graphic Designer: Josh Orchard Principal Art Director: Suzanne Helmigh Art Direction Team: Marius Bota, Ona Kristensen Lead Developer: Mark McIntyre Lead Game Designer: Shawn Merwin Senior Game Designer: James J. Haeck

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction................................. 7 Chapter 1: Valika Gazetteer ........... 9 The Valikan Clans ......................... 9 Current Clan Warfare ...............................9 In Thrall to the Valikan ...........................10 The Prismatic Circle................................11 Clan Rune................................................12 Clan Sýr ..................................................14 Clan Völgr ...............................................17 Clan Mithra.............................................20 Clan Morgöng .........................................23 Clan Limgri .............................................25 Lesser Clans.............................................28 The Land of Valika........................31 Thrull.......................................................31 Grarjord...................................................36 Kandar.....................................................38 Volgen & Cinderghast..............................44 Important NPCs ...........................46 Ordun Doransson....................................46 Nolgr Magnusson ....................................47 Hjadana ...................................................47 Brokyr Bladesinger ..................................48 Lief Sarvif ................................................49 Grenhildr .................................................50 Guhjdäl the Revenant..............................51 Njavesh Luunsdóttir.................................52 Sinfiot the Seeker.....................................52 Skallagrim av Iarun .................................53 Queen Andrea Helsing ............................53 Revna Hostler..........................................53 Odis..........................................................54 Trygve Brewer .........................................54 Varangus Gertrud av Hrist ......................54 Bodil Garðr..............................................55 Jarl Birger av Summerhelm .....................55 Taala Brightstar.......................................56 Thrulldr...................................................56 Abbot Sanrun...........................................57 Ánda the Fox & Companions ..................57 Adventure Concepts ......................58 Cold Hearted ...........................................58 The Heir of Völgr....................................59 Lars Larsson’s Last Voyage......................59 Raid on Ashnal’s Tower ..........................60 The Summoned Spire..............................60 The Transforming Storm.........................61 Wolf Moon...............................................61 The Case of the Missing Brewer..............62 Along the Front Lines..............................62 The Curse of Hvítrhvalr..........................63 Ättestupa Squad.......................................64 Outfoxing the Fox ....................................64 Chapter 2: Character Options........67 Character Creation: Clan Affiliation ...................................67 Clan Over Species ...................................67 Trait Descriptions....................................69 New Transformations ....................74 Giant..........................................74 Becoming a Giant....................................74 Transformation Features..........................75 Transformation Level 1 ...........................75 Transformation Level 2 ...........................75 Transformation Level 3 ...........................76 Transformation Level 4 ...........................76 Wyrm..........................................77 Becoming a Wyrm ...................................77 Transformation Features..........................77 Transformation Level 1 ...........................78 Transformation Level 2 ...........................78 Transformation Level 3 ...........................79 Transformation Level 4 ...........................79 Advanced Backgrounds ...................80 Valikan.....................................................80 Talent List................................................83 Valikan Subclasses ........................84 Martial Maneuvers and the Sagas...........84 Barbarian: Path of the Carrion Raven..............................85 Carrion Raven Maneuvers ......................86 Bard: College of Legends...............88 Cleric: Willing Vessel ...................89 Willing Vessel Maneuvers........................91 Cleric: Winter Domain ..................92 Druid: Circle of Stoneraisers .........93 Stoneraisers Maneuvers...........................95 Fighter: Blade Breaker .................97 Blade Breaker Maneuvers........................99 Fighter: Mammoth Hunter........... 100 Monk: Way of the Dying Light ...... 101 Dying Light Maneuvers.........................103 Paladin: Oath of the Undying Flame............................ 105 Undying Flame Maneuvers ...................107 Ranger: North Wind ................... 108 North Wind Maneuvers.........................110 Rogue: Dark Envoy.......................111 Dark Envoy Maneuvers .........................112 Sorcerer: Living Blade ................ 114 Living Blade Maneuvers........................116 Warlock: Gormadraug................. 118 Gormadraug Maneuvers .......................120 Wizard: Burning Mind ................. 121 Burning Mind Maneuvers .....................123 Rune Magic................................ 124 Runes .....................................................124 Rune Feats .............................................124 Equipment ................................. 126 Weapons.................................................126 Armor ....................................................127 Clothing .................................................128 Adventuring Gear..................................129 Chapter 3: Survival in Valika....... 131 Raiding ..................................... 131 The Ethos of Raiding.............................131 The Economics of Raiding ....................131 The Cost of Survival..............................132 Raiding as Worship................................132 Raiding Rules.........................................132 Commander-Style Raids ............... 133 Raid Site ................................................133 Phase 1: Preparation..............................134 Phase 2: Commanding Raiders.............137 Phase 3: Storming the Stronghold.........142 Phase 4: Return to the Longships..........143 Phase 5: Downtime Activities................143 Assault Raids: Raider NPCs..................144 Assault Raids: Raiding Feats..................145 Example Raid ............................. 146 Sample Raid Site Event: The First Raid...146 Example Stronghold ................... 149 Sample Stronghold Event: The First Conquest ................................149 To Be Continued... ................................149 Raid Defense .............................. 150 Two Styles..............................................150 Setting up a Raid ...................................150 Running a Defensive Raid.....................152 Survival and Exploration ............. 154 Survival Stories in Fantasy Games ........154 Addition Through Subtraction..............154 Gamifying Survival................................154 Safety in Numbers .................................155 Creating and Maintaining Settlements..155 Short-Term Survival in Valika ...............158 Working with Existing Survival Mechanics................................158 Survival and Higher Level Play .............158 Optional Rules: Snow Blindness............158 Optional Rules: Hypothermia ...............159 Chapter 4: Valikan Threats ......... 161 Coldfire Premonition.................. 162 Coldfire Undead......................... 164 Dinosaur, Valikan ....................... 166 Gegazol .................................... 168 Hunting Orca..............................172 Ice Crab .................................... 173 Ixlalu ....................................... 174 Prismatic Circle Agents ............... 176 Snow Swan ................................. 178 Völgr Raiders ............................ 179

6 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika

7 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Introduction Introduction Near the end of 2019, Ghostfire Gaming crowdfunded our first RPG book, with the help of many dedicated fans and gamers. That book, the Grim Hollow Campaign Guide, introduced the gaming community to our brand-new setting, in all its dark-fantasy, twisted-fairytale, grim-tinged glory. The Campaign Guide introduced players and gamemasters alike to the world of Etharis: a land where the gods had perished, leaving behind only twisted Arch-Seraphs and Arch-Daemons in their place. A land where the only thing more corrupting than the magical arts were the powerful agents of the Arcanist Inquisition who looked to quell the use of magic. A land where magical plagues brought low the common folk, where undeath was both a curse and a convenient method to rule for long periods of time, and where strange frigid fire ravaged the northern tundra. The fan response to our new setting was overwhelmingly positive. Players who craved the dark-fantasy flavor in the RPG made it clear that Etharis was a world they wanted more of. So more they got. We followed the Campaign Guide with the Grim Hollow Players Guide. Even more gamers and fans joined us in this crowdfunding effort. Together we expanded upon the player content already published in the Campaign Guide. Strange new races appeared to show the unique and bizarre elements of Etharis. New subclasses, spells, transformations, equipment, and more were provided to make playing a Grim Hollow campaign something much different than a typical fantasy campaign—something much darker and more dangerous. And that was just the characters! Finally, we rounded out the world of Etharis with the crowdfunding effort of the third installment in the campaign world’s core book triumvirate: Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire. More than ten-thousand dedicated fans helped us bring this creation to life. The creatures of the Grimoire— from the curious to the catastrophic—gave GMs more information about the world of Etharis, and more ways to challenge, terrify, and delight their players. Knowing that fans of Grim Hollow might want some published adventures to guide and inform their own campaigns, we published our first Fable: Citadel of the Unseen Sun. This adventure gave GMs and players a closer look at the land of Ostoya, and told the story of how the sun was stolen from the sky there—and how the land came to be ruled by monsters. We left Etharis for a bit, looking to help GMs and players tell some different types of stories. But we always had Grim Hollow in our hearts. We continued to play our games and campaigns there. We continued to think about what the various campaigns set in Etharis might look like. And now we’re back in Etharis! In your hands (or on your screens), you have the first of the regional guides for the Grim Hollow setting: The Raider’s Guide to Valika. Valika is a land where the horrors of Etharis are as much natural as they are supernatural. The frigid arctic landscape makes survival difficult, even when ravaging beasts and spectral entities are not bearing down on you. The very air can defeat you unless you’re prepared. The lack of vegetation threatens populations with starvation. Where there is a lack of resources, of course, your suffering neighbors rarely hesitate in taking from you what they need to survive. Raiding is a way of life in Valika, a methodical and ritualized social construct that sees martial power as a tool for survival. But even that tool must be wielded carefully. The clan structure of Valika helps bring people together to survive in the harsh environs, as well as provide a sense of purpose and identity. The fortunes of the various clans rise and fall, evolve and stagnate, as the seasons and the years pass. Several long-standing clans can point back to the first humans in Valika to their clans’ origins, while new clans form regularly in an attempt to find new ways of living and surviving in Valika. Regardless of the differences between Valika and the other lands of Etharis, a few aspects are always true of a Grim Hollow campaign: the world is a dark and dangerous place, seeking power in the wrong places can be dangerous for your soul, and something terrible from times past is just a heartbeat away from becoming your current ruination. As with the previous Grim Hollow content, some mature themes inform the Valika setting. Advice is given throughout the book for how to alter or downplay these themes, but the violence and cruelty of surviving in a land such as Valika is intertwined with the stories and themes that naturally flow out of such a land. All that said, we hope that in this book you find inspiration for Viking-themed play, for stories of survival and redemption, and for campaigns suffused with frosttinged horror. Sharpen your axe. Set sail in your longships. Pull your fur cloak tight around you. The lands of Valika beckon!

31 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter The Land of Valika To southerners looking northward towards the arctic wastes of Valika, the whole region might seem to be a singular chuck of ice covered in ravaging barbarians. To those in the know, Valika’s people and locales are as diverse from each other as Bürach is from Ostoya. It’s important to remember too that Valika’s internal borders are not sharply drawn and guarded, as they might be in the south. Unless there is a specific mountain range or river cutting through the landscape, a clan living within Thrull or Grarjord might not know exactly where they are. Only when they encounter another clan’s hunting or raiding parties do border delineations become important. Large, permanent communities are also rarer in Valika than elsewhere in Etharis. Villages tend to spring up in places where arable land, extensive wildlife, and defensible surroundings are found. Some of the southernmost regions have seen more extensive population growth recently as the xenophobia of the Valikans gives way to trade and diplomacy. Thrull The area known as Thrull stretches from the island of Holgar in the far west of the northlands—home to the city of Tyburn and the seat of the Prismatic Circle—to the foothills of the Grensfal Mountains that shield the city of Hrist against land raids from Clan Völgr. Thrull is the dominant culture in Valika, at least as far as the major clans are concerned. And because those clans define the raiding culture by which Valika is known, so too do folk across Etharis acknowledge the primacy of this province and its people. Holgar and Tyburn The island of Holgar in the northwest of Valika is one of the most forbidding locations in an overwhelming dangerous landscape, and it’s the foundation of the power that shapes all of Valika. The port city of Tyburn on Holgar is the seat of Clan Völgr, the site from which Völgrhelmed longships set out on their legendary raids. It is also the base of operations for the Prismatic Circle, whose sacrificial blood rites have come to define the Valikan lands in the minds of most folk of the south—and which might be all that keeps the world from falling into ruin. The Prismatic Circle. Holgar was the site where the elemental druid Kybard first advanced the belief that Kentigern and his six heroic companions had not truly slain Gormadraug, and that the Great Prismatic Wyrm only slumbered beneath earth and sea. The faith that Kybard founded believes that Gormadraug’s waking will herald the end of all things, and that only blood and battle can keep the great serpent confined to slumber. As Kybard’s nascent beliefs spread through the leaders of the Valikan clans, they became the foundation of a theocratic power structure whose apocalyptic fervor has long held sway across Thrull.

32 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika The Hollow Hill. A mile north of Tyburn’s walls, what appears at first to be a dense forest grove rising defiantly from the rocky ground is actually the impenetrable wall of a living fortress. Hundreds of great oaks are raised and strengthened by magic, surrounding and protecting the mounded hill within their perimeter that is the sanctum of Hjadana, Grand Druid of the Prismatic Circle (see “Important NPCs”). Within the labyrinthine array of tunnels and caverns inside the Hollow Hill, the druids of the Prismatic Circle engage in secret rites of divination meant to measure the sleep of Gormadraug, the Great Prismatic Wyrm. Air and earth elementals can be summoned by any druid of the Prismatic Circle within the Hollow Hill, access to which is forbidden to anyone not of the circle or invited by Hjadana directly. Power and Fear. The druids of the Prismatic Circle technically hold no power on Holgar or in Tyburn, as the place is under the rule of Clan Völgr. But their faith and its blood rites are held sacrosanct by Nolgr Magnusson— the chief of Clan Völgr, Keeper of the Three Tribes, and master of Tyburn. As such, faith in the Prismatic Circle effectively makes Tyburn a theocracy and extends the circle’s power across all the Thrull-based clans. To many across Etharis, Tyburn is a name that carries dread. The fell city of the northlands is the sanctum of the Valikan reavers whose magically-fueled raids scour the coastlines and rivers of the Bürach Empire, and reach as far south as the Kingdom of Charneault. Former thralls who have made the successful return to their homelands speak in dread whispers of the blood rites of the Prismatic Circle, with countless victims sacrificed at sites across Thrull. Many of those survivors’ stories paint the folk of Tyburn as uniformly dedicated to the Prismatic Circle— zealous warriors ready to die in the name of blood and battle. But the truth is more complicated than that. One City, Many Backgrounds. By the standards of many of the southern realms, Tyburn is a city in name only. Its defensive walls are rough-piled stone, with larger buildings and longhouses framed in wood, and smaller houses and huts raised of turf and roofed in thatch. But this rustic facade conceals a surprisingly cosmopolitan nature, built on the grim bounty of raiding. For generations, the wealth, art, and people of western Etharis have passed through Tyburn thanks to the plunder gained through raids, giving the folk of the city a rare degree of insight into the lands of the south. Many here are descendants of former thralls who stayed in the north, adopted into major or minor clans, even as they retain connections to their ancestral cultures. Steel and Sorcery. As the seat of Clan Völgr, Tyburn is home to some of the best warriors in Thrull—life here is dedicated to the combat arts. Open training grounds are scattered across the city, overseen by retired veterans or active reavers recovering from injuries. But though Clan Völgr and the Prismatic Circle control Tyburn, Clan Rune and Clan Sýr are well represented as well. Most of the armor and weapons used by Clan Völgr is forged in Borgund, but Sýr forges tucked in close to the city walls handle repairs to the gear of returning raiders, and craft tools and agricultural implements used across the island. In magical workshops, the Clan Rune mages of Tyburn hone the elixirs and runestones used in raids, and assess magic items and lore brought back from the lands of the south. The Long Day and Night. Set above the circle of shadow that marks the boundary of endless days and nights as the seasons turn, Holgar and Tyburn are shrouded in complete darkness throughout the long winter. During that time, the city is lit by ritual druidic witchlight, shining like a spectral beacon across the ice-choked sea. The dangers of weather and endless night ensure that few travelers venture forth from Tyburn during winter. During those dark months, the theocratic hierarchs engage the captive population of the city in apocalyptic sermons, reinforcing the fear of Gormadraug’s awakening. The preaching whips up the morale and fury of the city’s raiders as they wait for the advance of spring that opens the sea to their longboats once more. During the summer raiding season, the folk remaining in Holgar dedicate themselves to agriculture, taking advantage of the druidic magic that fuels the vitality of the fields and orchards spreading out around the city walls. Those fields are worked primarily by thralls, whose numbers increase when the raiders return, and whose labors help keep the folk of Tyburn alive when winter returns once more. Borgund The city of Borgund in the Armarka Mountains is the largest settlement in the north of Thrull, and the seat of Clan Sýr. Said to have been first settled while Sýr the Seven-Bladed still lived, the upper levels of Borgund spread along a series of stepped mountainside terraces lined with stone-walled houses. But the true size of the city becomes apparent only once visitors pass into Sýr’s Well, a set of slow-sloping ramps that descend from a broad central court atop the highest terrace, down into the stony depths of the mountain. Long tunnels radiate out from the foot of the well like spokes, with hundreds of chambers and halls sharing space with the great underground forges—the legacy of Clan Sýr and its people’s legendary skill with metalwork. With much of Borgund set within the mountains of the far north, the half-year of night that descends across the region in winter is of little concern to those who dwell here. Borgund’s halls and tunnels are a warm warren of magical rune light, making this one of the most pleasant places to “I snuck around to see one of their rites as a child. Sometimes, in the dark, I can still feel the blood that ran across my feet. I’ve never felt clean. I scrubbed my skin raw but still had to cover the stains it all left for days. There are nights that I forget I got out.” - A despondent regular at the tavern

33 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter spend the long winters in Valika. The heat of the forges balances the chill of stone, with fresh air constantly cycled into the depths through elaborate ventilation tunnels. City of Forges. Borgund is a hub of manufacturing for Clan Sýr’s hallmark weapons and armor, and the site of the classrooms and training forges where young clanfolk and thralls are trained. More so than in any other area of Thrull, many of Borgund’s thralls elect to join Clan Sýr once their term of service is up, dedicating themselves to the artistry of metal. As a result, Borgund boasts more dwarves, elves, and other folk of the southlands than any other settlement in Thrull. The approach to the city is marked by the columns of smoke that rise from its underground furnaces, and by the clusters of smaller mining communities that pull iron, copper, tin, silver, gold, and adamantine from within the mountains. Most of Borgund’s food is grown in towns and villages spread through the foothills and tundra to the east of the city, imported throughout the growing season and stockpiled for winter. Trade in arms and armor is the baseline of the city’s economy, both for the use of the clanfolk in neighboring villages, and to be sold and traded through settlements farther south. Ancient Halls. The underground halls of Borgund were not excavated by Valikans, though talented stonemasons and thralls worked over long years to bring those halls to their present state. The depths were first accessed by accident, when the folk of the minor Armarka clan took refuge in the peaks that now bear their name. Who crafted the ancient tunnels and vaulted chambers remains unknown, and though the original finished stonework in the depths bears hints of dwarven skill, the dwarves of the southern realms have no known legends that speak of the site. Deeper and Darker. The inhabited depths of the city are not the only spaces excavated by the long-lost builders of this place. Since the earliest exploration of the tunnels, collapsed walls and secret egresses have revealed other caverns and passageways beyond the main level, twisting down and away into darkness. Those who dwell here call this ancient section “The Deeps.” The deeps are dangerous, said to be filled with dead ends, steep switchbacks, gozomites (see Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire) and other monstrous predators, and ancient stone prone to collapse. As well, official forays of Clan Sýr’s explorers have observed that many of The Deeps’ passageways appear to change their pitch and orientation between one survey and the next. Whether this shifting is some sort of disorienting effect of the old stoneworks or marks the presence of stone-shaping elemental forces has never been confirmed. Officially, all entrances from Borgund into The Deeps have been permanently sealed off. Unofficially, a number of sites within the city offer access, including Glowlight Goldsmiths (a front for a well-organized criminal guild smuggling arms to Summerhelm in Kandar) and a ravine along the edge of the aboveground city that is easy to find but treacherous to descend. Frostmere Frostmere, the stronghold of the Melwarg frost giants, which shares its name with the frozen lake upon which it rests, has never been explored by humanoids. When the giants came to the northlands, they claimed the lake and the lands around it, clearing out humanoid settlements that once stood nearby in a bloody purge, and raising their great fortress of ice as a sign of their power. Cold Conflict. The giants of Frostmere nurture a hatred of humanoids, and clanfolk traveling the tundra must be constantly vigilant for signs of giant patrols. Winter wolves loyal to the giants serve as the giants’ vanguard, stalking the tundra all but invisibly when the snows come. Those who come into conflict with the giants are typically killed on sight—the Melwarg hold no thralls and take no prisoners. That said, a minority of the frost giants are content to simply ignore “the warm folk,” as they call the clans. An even smaller number sometimes quietly befriend humanoid travelers, trading for jewelry, fruit, textiles, and more. On occasion, giants content to deal with folk of Thrull make shortterm alliances with Clan Völgr parties crossing the tundra for raids into Kandar, especially if those raids target settlements loyal to the Cult of the Great Wyrm (see “Grenhildr” in the “Important NPCs” section), a group the giants abhor. Ghost Lodges. Around the perimeter of Frostmere, the Melwarg giants use powerful sorcery to raise domes of ice they call “ghost lodges” in their tongue. Generally appearing within a day’s walk of the lake, these lodges act as forts and waystations for giant patrols ranging farther into the tundra. The locations of the lodges change each season, with the giants abandoning the sites at midwinter. The magic of those lodges quickly unravel as new lodges are raised miles away. Some sages of Clan Sýr believe that the placement of the lodges might be keyed to sites where the giants sense elemental power, but what use they make of that power has yet to be determined. Explorers brave enough to have slipped inside abandoned lodges before they crumble away to frozen shards report seeing strange shrines of black ice at their heart. What power these shrines are meant to tap into remains unknown, but hint at what power is channeled within the fortress of Frostmere itself. The Foxwood Range The frostbite foxes of the north (see Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire), hunted and trapped for their resilient, weatherproof fur, are an important part of Valikan clan culture. The moon druids of an order known as the Fox Whisperers are instrumental to the long-term health of fox stocks, shepherding packs of these valuable creatures and ensuring that hunting and trapping don’t deplete their numbers. But one druid of that order, Njavesh (see “Important NPCs”), has taken her dedication to the foxes to another level. Respite and Protection. The Foxwood Range is a narrow vale in the Grensfal Mountain foothills, comprising a network of warren tunnels and dens providing safe haven for frostbite foxes to whelp and raise their young in

34 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika spring. The unique geography ensures a large number of foxes disperse back into the wilds for autumn and winter trapping. Packs of frostbite foxes, led by elders awakened by Njavesh’s magic, range out from Foxwood to patrol the tundra of central Thrull, on the lookout for lost travelers. Their particular focus is seeking newly released thralls attempting the arduous journey south to their former homelands. These foxes lead their charges along safe trails, even hunting to help feed those unable to do so themselves. Some of the more resolute enforcers of Clan Völgr take exception to this mission and gladly make the southward journey of thralls fleeing from Thrull less hospitable. But countless incidents in which Völgr raiders have been stalked and routed by fox packs numbering in the hundreds have convinced most of the warriors to leave well enough alone. Ice-Oil Springs Resembling the temporary pools that appear across the tundra after heavy rains, ice-oil springs are areas of ground where chaotic elemental power produces a wellspring of clear oil bubbling up from the ground. Called “ice-oil” by the people of the Valikan clans, this viscous liquid burns clear and hot, but is so volatile that it can ignite even in the absence of heat and spark. It is seldom used in day-to-day life but has become an instrumental part of Valika’s battle against the spread of coldfire. When ice-oil is thrown or dropped onto coldfire, it ignites with the slightest spark or flame—and sometimes even without it. The intense heat of its burning smothers the coldfire like a blanket, with rivulets of flaming ice-oil said to be drawn toward coldfire’s blue-white flames like metal to a lodestone. Ice-oil springs erupt, flow, then become dormant relatively quickly on the tundra, making luck and timing essential to their discovery and harvest. But that harvest is often complicated by the long enmity between the folk of Thrull (where ice-oil springs are most likely to appear) and Kandar (where the fight against coldfire is most intense). Excursions of Kandar oil tappers often patrol beyond the western foothills of the Grensfal Mountains in search of new springs, but are at constant risk of being attacked and seized by Thrull patrols. Lost Keppmir The cluster of towns that were once the seat of power of Clan Keppmir fell to ruin long ago, when the members of that minor clan engaged in a fell bargain with a daemon for their well-being and security. Today, their name lives on only with the monsters they became (as detailed in Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire). Horrors of the Past. Like Clan Keppmir’s history, the site of the clan’s bargain and horrid fall has been lost to memory, concealed now beneath lichen and sea mist somewhere along the west coast of Thrull. But explorers who stumble upon the ruins of those villages while traveling the coast, or sailors putting in at what looks like hospitable beach while seeking shelter from storms, might spot the faint lines of foundation stones where houses once stood. Travelers who don’t flee the area at once find themselves suddenly walking within a spectral tableau as homes, longhouses, corrals, and stockade walls phase into view—magical illusions fueled by the psychic energy that scarred these settlements when their people were taken. At the same time, a rising mist coalesces to take the form of the faceless apparitions of children, mouthlessly screaming for the parents who bargained their lives away for the promise of succor from the Great Prismatic Wyrm. The flare of corrupted magic that fuels these visions quickly attracts blightwinds (see Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire) that feed on any living creatures they find. Thankfully for those making an escape from the lost villages by water, no Keppmir dwell along the shore of their former villages, fearing the memories that might revisit them should they ever return here. Sentinel Woods Those journeying across the tundra of Thrull for the first time, whether traders or thralls from the southlands fleeing servitude under the clans, are often instinctively drawn toward great groves of oak trees that occasionally rise from the endless landscape of rock, grass, and lichen. But those who seek shelter in those groves flee as quickly, as they come to understand the true nature of the towering trees— and to see the bone fields at the foot of those trees, that mark a century of bloody animal and humanoid sacrifice in the name of the Prismatic Circle. In every season except the darkest months of winter, the druids of the Prismatic Circle make regular pilgrimages to the dozens of widely-scattered oak groves known collectively as the Sentinel Woods. These great clusters of trees are known to be magical sites by anyone cognizant of the normal range of flora found in the north—oaks are typically unable to grow in such a landscape. But an even darker magic makes its presence known to any who step into the eternal shadow of the groves, steeped into soil turned blood-black by generations of murderous sacrifice. Articles of Faith. When the druids of the Prismatic Circle come to a Sentinel Wood, they drive before them hundreds of half-starved sheep, pigs, and cattle stolen by their followers during raids on the southlands and sent north by barge. Behind them march squads of Clan Völgr warriors, singing songs of blood and glory. And between warriors and druids, hemmed in by spears and shackled with strong ropes, come the fearful or defiant humanoids slated for sacrifice. Whether condemned criminals, escaped or insubordinate thralls, those who have crossed the Grand Druid Hjadana, or folk of lesser clans selected at random when the ranks of the condemned are too thin, all know that they march to their doom. Within the Sentinel Wood, shrouded in the silver light of a full moon, the druids of the Prismatic Circle chant the litanies of their order, shaped by the visions of Kybard, who foresaw the Great Prismatic Wyrm Gormadraug awakening to destroy the world, and who laid down the foundations of assault and sacrifice that would prevent that fate. Then at the next dawn, when the litanies are done, the killing begins.

35 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Blood, Rite, and Butchery. Over a period of excruciating days, the livestock are killed first, dispatched by the Völgr with axe and sword. Druidic magic placates the beasts before their slaughter, preventing mass panic and stampeding. But even still, the scent of blood rises so thickly from the ground of the groves before the end that the last of the animals go to the darkness screaming. When the time for humanoid sacrifice comes, victims are walked a few at a time across the blood-soaked ground where the animals were slaughtered, corpses lying where they fell. Having watched that slaughter, conducted by Völgr warriors in a state of near-ecstatic frenzy, many of the victims have already mercifully passed beyond the point of comprehending their fate, with some even falling to blessed unconsciousness and death by fright as they are tied to the sentinel trees. These trees are the Prismatic Circle’s altars of sacrifice, so named for the druids’ belief that the great oaks stand vigil above the underworld where Gormadraug sleeps, their roots drawing the blood of sacrificed creatures downward. Four druids attending each sacrifice first speak Gormadraug’s tale aloud. Then, working together, they flense each victim’s skin from their body with ritual chanting and razor-sharp knives. During the humanoid sacrifices, the druids also sacrifice magic trinkets stolen from the southlands, incorporating them into their murderous rites. A victim lashed to a sentinel tree might be tortured with magic weapons or have magic armor or clothing nailed to their flensed flesh. Some might be force-fed magic potions, with the druids hoping that some error of miscibility will add to a victim’s suffering. The Empty Woods. When the last humanoid sacrifice has been conducted, the druids and Völgr warriors eagerly watching the rites immediately depart, for by tradition, no one can linger in any Sentinel Wood between times of sacrifice. Animals and people are left where they died to feed the crows and wolves over long months, with the next group of druids who come to each Sentinel Wood entering another part of the grove where previous victims have long rotted away to nothing but scattered bones. When Clan Völgr patrols pass a Sentinel Wood, the warriors always draw near it seeking intruders, not entering the trees but circling around them in search of trespassers. This is especially true of the followers of the druid Guhjdäl seeking to undo the sacrifices already completed, and also true for the forces of the lycanthrope insurgent Lief Sarvif, who looks to set up ambushes in advance of the next rites. (See the “Important NPCs” section for information on both these figures.) The Thunderstones Traversing the endless blank tundra of central Thrull is never an easy task, especially in the seasons of storms and darkness. As guideposts for travelers, Clan Rune has long maintained a series of magical stone obelisks every thirty miles along the main trail extending from Borgund down to the Töckan Pass leading to Halsfjord. These thunderstones pulse at regular intervals with a deep magical booming sound that is undisturbed by the strongest storm winds, allowing clanfolk and explorers to orient themselves along that well-traveled route even without the sun or stars. Although following the thunderstones can protect from the scourge of becoming lost in the endless tundra, the route can raise the risk of dangerous encounters. Polar bears, ankhegs, and other tundra predators have learned that humanoids are drawn to the booming echo of the thunderstones, and sometimes lie in ambush near the stones.

36 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Grarjord Often the entirety of the north is called Grarjord by southerners, and southlanders still refer to the lands of the Valikan clans by this ancient name. But with the political divisions of east and west growing ever sharper, the northern clans now define their homelands as Thrull and Kandar, with only the southern reaches between Thrull and Nordenland still clinging to the name and history of ancient Grarjord. The Free Lands The open tundra, steep peaks, and thick forests of Grarjord are nominally under the control of Thrull, and folk here acknowledge the authority of the Rune, Sýr, and Völgr clans, and of the Keeper of the Three Tribes in Tyburn. In reality, the folk of Grarjord enjoy a modicum of independence that hearkens back to the earliest days of settlement in the north. Many minor clans gravitate to this territory to avoid the militaristic posturing of Clan Völgr farther north, and the clashes between warriors of that clan and the folk of Kandar are constant across the Thrull tundra. However, the struggle for resources is no less acute here than elsewhere in Thrull and Kandar. The relationships between clans in Grarjord is often defined by raiding and blood feuds. Halsfjord Set along the southwest coast of Grarjord, the city of Halsfjord is the seat of Clan Rune and a repository of magical knowledge to rival any of the colleges of Erlefurt in the Bürach Empire. The natural defenses granted by the Teeth—the series of long, fjord-cut peninsulas that give the northlands the appearance of a great beast set to consume the south—help to make Halsfjord one of the best-protected sites in Valika, as its residents understand all too well the value of their knowledge and craft. Raids by war bands under cover of night or storm are a constant threat, with many minor clans intent on forcefully bringing knowledgeable Clan Rune mages or artificers into their service as thralls. The Beacon City. Halsfjord rises along steep-sloping hills from the long fjord that shares its name, and can be spotted in all but the darkest storm nights by the magical beacons blazing brightly atop the parapets of the city walls. Though their foundation stones were laid by hand, those walls have been rebuilt and raised countless times by magic, and are rumored to be imbued with subtle and dangerous arcane defenses. Numerous ships and almost as many caravans journey to Halsfjord in the traveling seasons, with the city importing most of its food and sundries in trade for magic. Halsfjord’s markets stand outside the city walls for security and are well guarded by both Clan Rune mages and mercenary Clan Völgr warriors, with the former making use of truth magic to guarantee the latter’s loyalty. Rune’s Last Rest. Halsfjord was the final home of the sorcerer Rune, who retired there shortly after her magic helped imprison the fire elementals in Cinderghast. Little more than a stockade village at the time, Halsfjord soon became a center of magical lore and training, as the best mages and artificers of Clan Rune sought out the great sorcerer’s knowledge. The oldest traditions of magical training in the modern city date to those times, and the schools Rune and her followers set up are known today across Etharis. The Sorcerer’s Secrets. Some histories speak of Rune leaving the city for a secret excursion into the Grensfal Mountains, from which she never returned. Other tales suggest she died quietly at home among her many friends and followers, who spread tales of her disappearance to help maintain the mystique of her life even after death. Regardless of the truth of her actual end, rumors have long suggested that Rune maintained secret magical workrooms in or beneath Halsfjord that were sealed up after her death, which still hold powerful secrets and even more powerful magic. Every discovery of a secret door or previously hidden cellar in the city brings a rush of excitement with it, and many long-term residents have spent time exploring mundane crawlspaces or poring over old street maps trying to discern where Rune’s lost lore might be hidden. Some say that the Staff of Ixlalu, the great salamander who ruled Cinderghast, is among the treasures Rune left secured behind powerful wards in Halsfjord. With that staff’s power instrumental in turning Cinderghast into the prison it is today, many sages believe that finding it might help rebuild the volcanic isles’ slowly failing wards. Others maintain that Rune must have hidden the staff to keep it from Ixlalu, and that returning it to the world will inevitably feed the salamander lord’s power. Skarfanes The town of Skarfanes was once a Valikan watchpost and waystation on the peninsula of the same name, where the reaver fleets of Tyburn would put in for rest and resupply on their way south. But as the city of Erlefurt across Kulen Sound grew in size and importance as the Bürach Empire’s greatest center of magical learning, the empire grew increasingly nervous about the proximity of Skarfanes and the reaver fleets passing through it. Imperial Outpost. For long years, Bürach ships out of Erlefurt skirmished with reaver fleets sailing south from Skarfanes, and with the settlement’s garrison longboats that sailed the sound even in winter. But then in a swift military operation some sixty years past, Skarfanes was raided by a full fleet of the Bürach Empire and seized by Imperial forces. However, rather than using the takeover as a beachhead for a full expedition into the peninsula against the Thrull clans, the empire declared Skarfanes an open settlement and trading hub. Today, Skarfanes is controlled largely by clan traders, even as it’s protected by an imperial garrison set up as a satellite of the garrison in Erlefurt. The town is a sprawling settlement of huts and homes, clustered around longhouses and warehouses and surrounded by a formidable stockade wall built of imported timbers. Four gates mark the entry points into the city, but just as many locals live outside Skarfanes as inside, with most of the minor clans of Grar-

37 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter jord maintaining permanent steadings within sight of the walls. Moreover, after three generations, intermarriage between the imperial occupiers and local clanfolk has created a mixed culture unique to Skarfanes. Prosperity and Progress. It was never a secret that the Bürach Empire’s transformation of Skarfanes was an attempt to quell the threat of raids from the north. By encouraging trade with the Valikan clans, it was hoped that the people of those clans would recognize and embrace a less-costly path to prosperity than the grim tradition of reaving. But the folk of the empire still fail to fully grasp the fell teachings of the Prismatic Circle that underlie the predations of Clan Völgr and the reaver fleets, making the Skarfanes experiment a mixed success at best. The town is a frequent focus of raids by Thrull clans, some seeking plunder but others nurturing a longer-term dream of driving the imperial garrison back across the sound. However, the garrison has rebuffed more than one raid with the support of local Valikans, who have learned that Skarfanes is worth more to them as a center for trade and commerce than as a mere waystation transporting stolen goods north for the prosperity of Tyburn and Clan Völgr alone. Isolationism and Intrigue. The official stance of the Prismatic Circle—and thus of the major clans of Thrull—is one of isolationism, with trade between Thrull and other lands formally forbidden. All commerce in Skarfanes is thus officially considered black-market trade. The three major clans of Rune, Völgr, and Sýr have no official contact with Skarfanes merchants. However, some members of the three clans secretly trade with the smaller clans of Grarjord, knowing that those clans trade through Skarfanes in return, eventually filtering the goods back to the three major clans. The only items of trade that are strictly prohibited in Skarfanes are weapons, armor, and magic. Though the impeccable metalworking skill of Clan Sýr and the magical crafting of Clan Rune is highly sought after in the southlands, the leaders of Clan Völgr take a hard line against improving the defenses of the lands their reaving fleets will inevitably target in seasons to come. When weapons, armor, runestones, and elixirs are sold through Skarfanes, they must be carefully smuggled to avoid the attention of Völgr agents. To avoid such attention, many seeking to sell contraband instead seek the black market in Summerhelm (see the “Kandar” section). Ragvall Village Ragvall Village is the sole settlements of its namesake clan, home to no more than three hundred intrepid souls. The village was founded on the shores of Akkeri Bay, one of many inlets amidst the ragged southwestern coast of Valika called the Teeth. The village’s houses are made of stone or timber, and it lacks any sort of large machinery such as mills or foundries. As a village in its first year, its only possessions are what its people can carry on their backs, their livestock, and the buildings they’ve managed to establish. Ragvall Village is divided into four main regions: the North Shore, the South Shore, the Farmsteads, and the Sheltering Wood, as described below. South Shore. The south shore of Akkeri Bay is the heart of Ragvall Village. Most villagers live in pitched-roof houses near the shore or nestled in the woods on either side of the slow, meandering Garthor River. The chief’s longhouse, Hrafensheim, looms over the village square as a meeting place and stronghold. Farmsteads. South of the village center are Ragvall’s outlying farmsteads. Dozens of small farmers tend their fields from spring planting to the autumn harvest. The largest farms are worked by the Bennuson family or villagers in the employ of the Grindalsson family, a pair of feuding families that are both pillars of the Ragvallan community. These fields are separated by stone walls only tall enough to keep wandering livestock out. Together, the farms in Ragvall Village produce hay, barley, beans, peas, cabbages, and onions. North Shore. The northern shores of Akkeri Bay are sparsely populated and mostly home to folk whose professions take them from Ragvall Village each day. Hunters, trappers, fishers, shipwrights, and warriors-in-training make their homes here. At the edge of the shore is the village’s only lighthouse. The lighthouse’s keeper has recently gone missing, and rumors have begun to spread of a curse reaching up from the depths of the sea, claiming him. Sheltering Wood. North of Ragvall Village is an ancient, dark wood that shelters the settlement from the snowstorms that blow across Grarjord. Ragvallan hunters tracked elk in these woods during their first winter, but found that its boughs shelter not just game, but also an insular enclave of elves. And when winter’s days turned black as pitch, the hunters found true evil stalking its paths.

38 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Kandar The area known as Kandar reaches as far to the northeast as Volgen, which was once an island but is now connected to the mainland by a coldfire glacial bridge. The more populated regions are far to the west, near the center of the peninsula, at the Grensfal Mountains and the disputed lands adjacent to Thrull. There, the united troops of the Kandar clans of Mithra, Limgri, and Morgöng keep watch. The more temperate Summerhelm in the southwest provides a southern border for the major Kandar clans, though a city even further south, Runeheim, is nominally within Kandar’s borders (Runeheim is detailed in Grim Hollow: The Campaign Guide). Despite Kandar’s diplomatic efforts, the people of Etharis still first associate Valika with the greater violence of Thrull. Kandar’s desire for peace has allowed them to make inroads with the southern nations, but the wilds of the region, the facial tattoos worn by many of the northerners, and the reputation of their neighbors leave the people of Kandar fighting against stereotypes from any foreigners within their lands. Hrist Though the cultures of the three major Clans of Kandar are quite divergent, if there is a cultural center of Kandar, it is Hrist. This cosmopolitan city has the feel of a hill fort that has grown beyond its origins, a fortress that has expanded to become a merchant city. Although the majority of the residents of Hrist are Valikan—most belonging to Clan Mithra—a foreigner could walk down the main streets of the city and feel at home, surrounded by humans, elves, dwarves, dragonborn, half-orcs, and others from nearly any nation of Etharis. Hrist welcomes all people within its borders, especially if they intend to aid Kandar against Thrull’s invasion, or offer good terms in a trade. And preferably both! The Circles. The people of Hrist reside in three distinct circles, separated by two walls (no wall encloses the outer circle). The inner circle, the oldest part of the city, holds the Great Hall. It is also where the residences of the oldest families in Clan Mithra are nestled. Relatives of the various jarls frequently stay in homes in the city, petitioning Queen Andrea for favors for their jarldoms. Smithing and jewelry-making families, both Valikan and dwarven, have homes and workshops in this portion of the city. A few other craftspeople, if they become wealthy enough, buy a property within the inner circle, but openings to move inward are few and far between. The middle circle is the second oldest part of the city, is much larger than the inner circle, and is home for the majority of the Valikans who live in Hrist. Merchants and craftspeople, skalds and artists, make their homes here. The middle circle houses the Skald Library and the Kaupang, Hrist’s vast marketplace. The outer circle spreads beyond the city walls, and includes the foreign quarters, where traders and diplomats reside. The outer circle has the most inns and taverns in Hrist, many of which are in more southern styles, as they were built by travelers to the area. The outer circle of Hrist

39 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter also has a popular marketplace, and items that border the edges of Hrist’s legality are far easier to purchase in the outer circle. The barracks are also in this part of the city, with soldiers from all Kandar coming to Hrist to train and learn the tactics of the Mithran army. The Great Hall and the Queen’s Seat. The largest building in Hrist is the Great Hall of Queen Andrea Helsing, who has held the title for the past thirty years. The Great Hall itself belongs to no one family, though it has long been the center of Clan Mithra. The ruler of Clan Mithra has long resided in Hrist, and though the Helsings have been those elected rulers for seven generations, all of Clan Mithra remembers a time before that, when the Sommers family ruled. It is that long heritage that gives names to elements within the Great Hall. The Sommer Throne, for example, is an intricately carved wooden chair, said to be engraved with runic magic. In the tales of Hrist, the seat is said to grant wisdom and longevity to the ruler of Clan Mithra. The Skald Library. Very few libraries in Etharis rival the collection held in the Skald Library, although many of the relics and artifacts are not bound books. While traditional academics are in short supply in Kandar, the clans have a long, long oral tradition that stretches back to the battle against Gormadraug. When the Valikan clans decided to codify those oral legends into the Lord Edda, skalds and lawspeakers from across the north gathered in Hrist, committing their stories to paper. Several versions of this manuscript are kept in pristine condition in the Skald Library, and the skalds who visit the library frequently argue over which details from the earlier manuscripts should have made it into the final, codified version. In addition to the written cultural record of Valika, the Skald Library contains written laws and judgments, as dictated by lawspeakers from various clans and jarldoms across Kandar. The collection has also expanded to hold treaties and merchant agreements, as well as copies of historical records from the southern nations. But while these historical and legendary records hold prominence within the building, another section is growing and expanding, enough that the skalds are making plans to create another branch of the library. This new wing would house the ballads, songs, and romances collected from every corner of Etharis. Curated by Stjarna Skalddóttir of Clan Limgri, a devotee of the Lightbringer faith, this collection is meant to offer a ray of hope, shining in the darkness of Etharis. Seiðr & Cider. The best-known tavern in Hrist abuts the Skald Library; its name is a jest about forbidden arts of magic, which no respectable person would practice. This is a primary location for flyting competitions, and flytings that occur at the Seiðr & Cider are the ones most talked about throughout Hrist following the event. In reality, however, the Seiðr & Cider is run by a retired wizard, who does practice the kind of magic frowned upon by most Valikans (excluding Clan Rune). This distaste and distrust for the arcane has led Trygve Brewer (see “Important NPCs”) to keep his former profession secret. Though Trygve is content with his current life, he does have a number of magical items in his home behind the tavern, left over from his younger days. Holmgang Arena. While the citizens of Hrist’s inner circle would like to believe their city is a law-abiding haven for all people and cultures, the outer circle is well beyond the more structured and codified behaviors endorsed by Queen Andrea and her followers. One of the most popular sites of debauchery in the outer circle is Holmgang Arena, where fighters compete for a championship title. These fights are unhindered by any sense of honor or fairness; instead, combatants are allowed to have at each other with any technique or style they choose until one surrenders or dies. The current champion of Holmgang Arena is Bjørn Painbringer, also called Bjørn the Beast. At almost eight feet tall, this half-orc is a member of Clan Morgöng, known as much for his trickery in combat as for his vast, brute strength. He’s held the title of champion for a full year—if he holds it through the next midwinter, Bjørn will be the longest champion the arena has seen. The Rookery. An unassuming hostler, known by the name Revna (see “Important NPCs”), serves as a stable keeper at the entrance to the middle circle, and many of the horses and sleigh- and sled-animals visiting Hrist are kept there while their owners have business at the great hall. However, Revna is also the spymaster of Queen Andrea, a member of Clan Morgöng who has declared her fealty to the war chief—at least for the duration of the Thrull invasion. The stable is two stories, and in the rafters, Revna keeps a parliament of ravens, who carry messages to and from her contacts throughout her clan. The Greater Jarldoms While Hrist is the largest city in Kandar, its vassal towns are also well established. Many are farming communities farther south, eking out a living in the unfriendly climate. Clan Mithra currently has six jarldoms, each of which has several villages under its rule. The largest of these is Eikenbu, on the border of Skuggiskogr, currently ruled by Jarl Hakon Hendersson, a warrior of some renown and Queen Andrea’s most loyal jarl. “I was so excited on my first day at the Skald Library. I was there to look for the recently finished transcription of Kandar’s early raids, but I found the original transcript of a story my mother told me as a child. It is a truly wonderous place.” - A Skald Library frequenter

40 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Summerhelm The city of Summerhelm, the seat of power of Jarl Birger av Summerhelm, is the second largest settlement in Kandar, but otherwise bears little similarity with Hrist. While Hrist prides itself on being the height of civilization in the north, a city of honor and welcome in a world gone mad, Summerhelm embraces the chaos of the dark days of winter and sleeps away the longer sunlight of summer. The Summer Palace. Unlike most of Kandar, Summerhelm’s construction is more like what is found in the southern kingdoms, with the Summer Palace being the greatest example. The large fortress is built like an Ostoyan Castle and was likely held by the ancestors of that nation in the distant past. But deeper inside the building, it’s clear that humans were not the original builders of this monument to strength. In the depths below the palace, hallways are shaped from stone that appears untouched by mortal hands. Heat rises from the lowest levels, and a clever system of conduction allows this heat to spread throughout the building, even in the coldest days of winter. Rumors say that elementals are trapped within the palace walls; other stories suggest that the walls themselves are magically wrought. Still others say the original fortress upon which the palace sits was built by the gods before they disappeared. The most foreboding story of the palace’s construction, however, is that the bowels beneath are the tunnels hewn by Gormadraug’s body. Some say that the dragon’s scales are embedded in the walls, and it’s the power of the sleeping dragon that brings the palace its heat. Jarl Summerhelm is uninterested in the truth, though he has employed a number of mercenaries and adventurers in an effort to secure any unknown passages into and out of the castle. Several have been discovered, which only convinces the jarl that more remain to be found. The jarl is also frequently absent from the city, traveling to various southern nations, using his title and money in an attempt to gain prestige beyond the walls of his home country. The result is that his mercenaries frequently have the full run of the palace, and many old treasures could easily make their way out of Summerhelm in those warriors’ capable hands. The Dream Market. Beyond the palace, the city of Summerhelm is enclosed by a tall stone wall. Locals suggest that it must have been built by giants, because even during the light of summer, the wall casts lengthy shadows across Summerhelm, making it feel as though the city exists in a perpetual twilight. This shadowy atmosphere perfectly suits the needs of the many illicit merchants that make the city their home. Though there are many storefronts that appear to be on the right side of Kandar’s cultural laws, the greater center of commerce is known as the Dream Market. As Jarl Summerhelm’s attention towards the city has dwindled, the Dream Market has become more open about its wares. Despite the supposed forbidden trade between Kandar and Thrull, many of the Dream Market’s merchants are from western lands; more still come from the south, selling Full Moon Extract in exchange for Dreams Leave. Weaponry, frequently ill-gotten, goes for reasonable prices, and magic charms, both real and fake, fill the tables of the market. Solheim The smallest of the three cities of Kandar, Solheim is a port city that was once the religious center of Valika. Now, it sits on the Shadow Storm Gulf, bereft of faith, existing but no longer thriving. The shipyards are Solheim’s one remaining pride, and a great hall, where Jarl Angrboða Grata holds her things, continues to be kept up as well as any residence. Still, the overarching atmosphere of doom pervades the city, even in the months when the sun shines the longest. The Sun Temple. With the death of the gods, the most beautiful building in all of Solheim, a temple to the sun, was abandoned. Now this ruin of a religious building sits prominently in the center of the city, its roof long since decayed. The result, however, is that during the light months, sun shines into the temple at angles that highlight specific objects and runic inscriptions in the walls. Few people of faith remain in Solheim, and fewer still visit, but those who have been within the sun temple in the long days of summer say that messages play across its walls, divulging secrets about the future. Tienne Corleon, an elven druid, has been living in Solheim for six years, trying to decipher the Sun Temple’s hidden mystery. Runecrafters and Tattooists. Within the walls of Solheim, runecrafters and tattoo artists sometimes meet to share their trade secrets, and to exchange enchanted tattoos with others who share their ways. While most of these tattoos are reserved for members of Clan Limgri or, should they request it, the Svalr (who only rarely travel to the city), the artists have been known to perform their craft on foreigners and non-Valikans, if they can perform a feat of skill or strength. Each artist has a different preference, but all wish to see a display of prowess; some will challenge the applicant to a contest of wits, using Morgöng-style riddles to confuse their hapless visitors. The contests are frequently drawn along the lines of which belief system the artist belongs to. The Lightbringers only ply their trade on those who seek to be heroes in a falling world, who want to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Members of the Røkkva, however, are likely to bestow power upon anyone they think might cause the most destruction. “There’s something in the Sun Temple. Something old and wonderful and terrible. It’s not a creature, of course. It’s a presence. If you enter the place when the sun is at its peak in the summer days, the way the light strikes the ruins and illuminates some of the words and runes and etchings, it provides a message. If someone could figure out that message, they could gain control over that presence.” - Superstitious Solheim resident

41 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Cold Iron Keep Nestled in the Jakkan Mountains, Cold Iron Keep is where the people of Kandar store criminals who cannot be dealt with according to clan law. For the most part, this means outsiders, or those Valikans who would resist the death penalty—or for whom death would be too easy a release from their responsibility. Though the abandoned fortress originally fell into the hands of Clan Mithra, Queen Andrea years ago assigned control of the prison to Clan Limgri, in exchange for stationing her troops farther north to protect the nomads from Thrull raids. Hidden Secrets. No Valikan wants to acknowledge Cold Iron Keep. It’s a desolate place, meant to keep those the people of Kandar would like to forget. This dungeon of Valika’s lowest became home to Commander Bodil Garðr, warden of the prison. Though Garðr is a skald from Solheim, her tales were frightening, and her call to bring about the end of the world, in line with her Røkkva devotion, made Jarl Grata concerned about unrest in the city. In Cold Iron Keep, Commander Garðr has full authority over criminals who, frequently, also wish to see the world burn. But if it’s going to burn, it will do so under Garðr’s command. Garðr has a plan to make use of the prisoners, either for the war effort (which enables her to continue to draw resources from Clan Mithra and the army) or for her own ends. Evil Origins. The keep itself was once the fortress of an evil mage, Mordu, who was defeated by heroes whose names have been lost to history. While the mage perished, his spirit still lives within the walls, and many secrets of the fortress are yet to be unlocked. The building, raised by magic from the mountains themselves, has three levels; the top level is one story above the surrounding ground surface, while the third is below ground. Garðr’s offices are on the top floor, where she constantly hears the whispers of Mordu as she goes about her work. The ground floor is where the scholars, skalds, and druids stationed to the keep perform their experiments. The inmates live below ground. Many of the inmates are worth study, particularly the vampire frost giant, Jormund, who is encased in a quartz coffin. But the most important of the inmates for study is Gorm, a man consumed—but unharmed—by coldfire. He pledges to end the world when his foot touches snow. Binding Experiments. As tempting as this promise is for Garðr, she has other plans. One of the runesmiths among the researchers is a fellow member of the Røkkva. Together, the pair have discovered a way to bind the inmates with a geas tattoo. This allows Garðr to assign the criminals with a mission and order them to return when it is complete—or the tattoo will detonate, doubling the harm caused by a normal geas spell. Now that the tattoo has been perfected, Garðr is ready to unleash her prisoners on the world—or, to start, onto Thrull, to see what damage they can cause Kandar’s enemy.

42 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Lake Jakkan. With the Jakkan Mountains on three sides, escape from Cold Iron Keep is almost impossible. The only way to reach the keep is by crossing Lake Jakkan, a frigid body of water that is also home to a terrible beast. The creature residing in the lake has the upper body of a caribou and the lower body of a beluga whale. Its branching antlers are each tipped with a flickering flame of coldfire. The sailors that bring the prisoners to Cold Iron Keep whisper about sightings of this monster, sure that its antlers will cause the lake to freeze over, killing them all instantly. Some of the sailors even believe that the flickering coldfire on the creature’s antlers are the souls of those it has dragged beneath the surface, down to a watery grave. Whether this creature is real or illusionary is unknown. The greater secret, however, is that there are tunnels beneath the water’s surface that flow directly into ancient levels of Cold Iron Keep, below the currently occupied floors. What uses those tunnels and what danger they might pose to the inmates, only time will tell. The Grensfal Mines Within the Grensfal Mountains, there is a small mining community led by dwarves, an unobtrusive group of miners and smiths who ply their wares in Hrist, and mostly keep to themselves. At least this is what the people of Kandar believe. In truth, the Grensfal Mountains hide a vast number of dwarves, some of whom consider the mountains their ancestral home, and more of whom are escaped thralls from Thrull who have been taken in by their northern cousins. The Great Collapse. In ancient times, well before the Age of Expansion, vast underground roads connected the Rock-Teeth Mountains to the Grensfal and Jakkan Mountains of Kandar. When Gormadraug was defeated, the elementals who had once viewed the north as their demesne went into a frenzy that shattered these mountainous passages. The dwarven cities within the Jakkan range collapsed, leaving only the dwarves of Grensfal to survive. Though they did their best to clear the tunnels to their sister nations, the damage was too extensive. Unsure what dangers the surface might hold, the dwarves dug themselves deeper into the mountains, risking the monsters in the bowels of the earth rather than face the elementals that still raged above. As the years went on, the dwarves became even better adapted to darkness and life underground than their peers. But some still longed for moments of sun, and a community returned to the upper mines their great-great-great-grandparents had abandoned. Finding veins of gold and gems still rich for mining, the dwarves returned to work, crafting weapons and armor and tools to rival the most beautiful found in the lands above. With their supplies ready to trade, they traveled to the surface once more. The Emergence. The world had changed, and humans now populated the surface—though their settlements were still few and far between. The city of Hrist welcomed the dwarves, not realizing that they had subterranean neighbors. The dwarves of Grensfal established themselves as valuable craftspeople and merchants. Most of the surface dwarves from Grensfal wear tinted glasses, unable to stand even the weak sun of the north for long. The highest levels of the mine are known simply as Grensfal Mine; the lower levels are unexplored by outsiders, but travel deep, deep below the surface, to realms of bioluminescent fungi and underground hot springs. The deepest dwarves have begun to gain some bioluminescent features as well, and most are unable to return to the surface or be blinded by the light, even in the depths of winter. Ormralva The Ormralva flows into the eastern Jakkan Mountains, snaking through the hills like its namesake. But its shape is not the only reason the Ormralva bears its serpentine name. The river is home to ice vipers, swimming poisonous snakes that thrive in the cold waters. The mountains surrounding the Ormralva are home to cadeer, frostbite foxes, and poffers. But while the hunting along the river valley should draw Clan Limgri or the Svalr, the dangers of the river herself are too great. Even Clan Morgöng sailors leave the river once it flows into the Jakkan foothills. The serpents below the water’s surface are trouble enough, but the danger worsens on land. Though the snakes spend much of their time below the waves, they nest on ground. Thus, the Ormralva’s banks are lined with viper pits, hidden by the snow, into which unsuspecting travelers might fall. Despite these dangers, some do risk Ormralva’s hazards for the promise of treasure. There is said to be a spring at the mouth of the Ormralva that flows with liquid mithril. Many hopeful travelers have tried to reach the mouth, but few have survived, and those who do are too haunted to reveal the river’s secrets. The Border Tundra Between the southern reach of the Grensfal Mountains and Summerhelm is a long, barren tundra, unsuitable for farming even for the short times of year the rest of Kandar allows for planting and harvesting. These lands are where Queen Andrea has stationed the majority of her soldiers. Borrowing from Clan Limgri’s mobile housing, the army utilizes reindeer and ice drakes to transport tents and lavvo to the various points on their watch. While the entire border cannot be covered with troops, units of one hundred soldiers move under the command of a hersir, who in turn follows the orders of the drotten in charge of the border. “My great-grandmother was a wicked woman. When she died, we discussed her life at the edge of Lake Jakkan. We fled when the shadow of the Beast passed. My great-grandmother is certainly among the souls on the Beast's antlers.” - Cold Iron Keep transport soldier

43 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Varangus Gertrud av Hrist is the drotten currently in charge of the border patrols. She is stationed at a wooden fort at the very southern tip of the Grensfal Mountains. The fort is still new—a result of needing a defensive position to protect the settlements to the east from Thrull raids—and while the drotten had wanted to name it Fort Mithra, Queen Andrea felt that might exclude the Mithran allies who had provided so many troops to the joint army. Thus, the fort is yet unnamed. Skuggiskogr Forests Despite their southerly location, the Skuggiskogr Forests never become brighter than at half-dusk. The shadows within the vast canopy blot out even the summer sun. Though the Valikan clans do take resources from the edges of Skuggiskogr, using the pine wood for their longboats, they rarely traverse deep within the shade of the enormous trees. Even the mightiest warriors among the clans have a tendency toward superstition, and the shadows of the woods give good reason for wariness. Strange Ecology. The Skuggiskogr are home to many natural animals, but they are also home to fey creatures of all sorts. One of the fiercest of these is an old epachrach, whom Mithrans living on the borders of the woods call the Guardian of the Forest. With twisting tusks like the branches of an oak and moss-like hair growing on its head, the mammoth creature travels through the trees with an impossible grace for its size. Travelers who must enter beneath the canopy encounter strange and dangerous things in the shadows. Grief eaters are known to prey on the unprepared, and wild insics watch for musicians to travel into the woods, hoping for instruments to inhabit. A parliament of ravens of ill omen is known to roost within the branches of Skuggiskogr, and pucks roam freely, playing their malicious tricks to the pain, or death, of travelers. Will-o’-wisps try to draw wanderers deeper into the woods, where bogs pose hidden dangers, especially in the winter, when falling into even the smallest frozen pond could cause hypothermia and death. Ancient Threats. But more dangerous than any of these creatures is the presence of Runa Banasár, a one-time leader of a forgotten Valikan clan, now a memori lich. Though much of her undeath has been spent traveling the world, she has recently returned to the north, her motives unknown. Villagers and farmers from Clan Mithra’s jarldom of Eikenbu have started to disappear. While Jarl Hendersson initially suspected Thrull of raiding, the silence of the attacks—if they are attacks—has left her mystified. There are no signs of violence, a sure indication that Thrull is not behind the disappearances. And yet, people are missing, all their belongings left behind but their weapons. The thought that a force might be building an army so close to Eikenbu is a growing concern for Jarl Hendersson and Queen Andrea both. Despite the dangers, Skuggiskogr also holds a small enclave of the Redclaws, a circle of druids whose primary enclave is deep within the Njukca Mountains. In the southern woods, the Redclaws seek to preserve the forest from those who would overharvest her trees; in fact, the Redclaws may well lead travelers to fey creatures that would pray on strangers to keep the woods from harm. The Njukca Mountains The Njukca Mountains are one of the true beauties of Kandar, both during the months of light and absolute darkness. Named for the giant swans that reside within the highest reaches, the mountains are home to bountiful natural wildlife, despite their sparse vegetation. The animals living within the range have learned to thrive in Njukca’s harsh conditions, and where the mountains border the sea, polar bears are known to build their dens. The mountains are also home to the nanuqsaurus, a feathered dinosaur with a hide built to withstand the cold temperatures. These predators sometimes face off against the giant swans for dominance in the territory, leading to legends that snow squalls along the northern coast are caused by battles between the two species. The swans also have a reputation for being as carnivorous as the dinosaurs, making both dangerous to encounter. The Svalr and Clan Limgri have additional legends of people within the mountains able to take the form of swans themselves. In some tales, these people appear human; in others, they have features like elves. The most fantastic of these stories feature the swan people leaving their skins behind when they change shape—and note that without their skin, they’re unable to shapeshift. Some members of Clan Limgri even claim to be descended from the swan people of the mountains, but there is little proof that the people even exist, let alone intermarried with the Valikan clans. But the rumors of the swan people provide good cover for the Redclaws, who base their center of operations out of the Njukca Mountains. Though this circle of druids operates throughout Kandar, their main enclave lies nestled in one of the Njukca’s valleys, and hidden from the outside world. All the Redclaws are shapeshifters, many of them werebears— but perhaps there are also swanfolk among their ranks. The final test for any Redclaw hoping to join the circle takes place at a crystalline lake of pure, natural ice water, high in the Njukca Mountains. Those who pass the test are not allowed to speak of it; those who fail say only that even in failure, there is beauty. Unlike many of the Valikan clans of Kandar, those who join the Redclaws believe that the world might yet be saved, but only if the Prismatic Circle of Thrull doesn’t destroy it first. Those swans that live in the Njukca Mountains have to be possessed! Those terrors eat everything, I stand by the fact that they ate my neighbor’s hound. - Kandar resident

44 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Volgen & Cinderghast Though the north poses many dangers to travelers and residents, the greatest hazard from the land itself is the coldfire spreading from the Volgen peninsula. Once an island resting off the mainland, Volgen is now connected by a coldfire-infused ice bridge. The entire peninsula of Volgen and the Cinderghast islands are cloaked in solid darkness throughout the winter, with not a single hour of daylight, and then the weak and distant light of the sun promises a full summer without darkness. The lands are also ravaged with blizzards, further limiting visibility even in the summer months, and the jagged landscape of ice spires makes navigation difficult, as so many of the landmarks look the same—or shift due to the frequent storms. It’s no wonder the Valikan clans believe Gormadraug’s heart lies hidden somewhere in this frigid region. Fort Kentigern Originally built as a monastery for an order of contemplative monks, Fort Kentigern has become the last shield between the coldfire waves and the rest of the northlands. The high keep is built in a style similar to the fortresses of the south, with thick stone walls shaped by both craftspeople and mages. Here, the Order of Kentigern gathers, not for contemplation, but as defenders of the living—and, perhaps, the world. Independent Order. Unlike the rest of Valika, the clans hold no sway in Fort Kentigern. Once a person has joined the order, their past is forgotten; their life becomes devoted to one single cause. A majority of the order is drawn from Valikans, but people from all over Etharis count themselves among their number. While some members initially retain their suspicions concerning arcane magic or the faithful, they soon realize that any skills brought to bear against the coldfire have their value. The Order of Kentigern’s accepting and inclusive outlook is not out of philosophy, but out of necessity: all are welcome in the fight, for as long as they are able to fight. And many, many members of the order die in the line of duty. Some adventurers join their number for a time, then leave to pursue other missions. While the order would prefer that people fully commit, they are, as a whole, practical enough to never refuse help, even if it is temporary. The order’s penchant for ignoring their volunteers' pasts has made Fort Kentigern a welcome home for reformed criminals and exiles. Some people even take on new names when they arrive at the fort as a way to separate themselves from their past. The members who permanently dedicate themselves to the order undergo a purification ritual, where they touch their skin with flame to symbolize burning away their past and accepting the trials and tribulations of their new future. Defenses. The fort’s curtain walls are 10 feet thick and sport defensive siege weaponry. The ramparts are lined with catapults, trebuchets, and ballista, all of which are designed to hurl flaming pitch into the cold blue flames. The ramparts also feature enclosures where evokers can hurl their own fireballs to the grounds below. Many mundane animals reside in the stables—reindeer are a favorite for the terrain and for slower journeys, but some intrepid members of the order have also trained polar bears and giant lynxes as war mounts. The most popular mounts of the Order of Kentigern, however, are the ice drakes. To be elevated to the rank of lieutenant or higher, members of the order must master

45 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter riding in flight. Flying squads of order bombardiers are the first to leave the fort when a flare of coldfire is spotted. The mounts are trained to carry barrels of explosive oil, and the riders are well-equipped with other explosive grenades. And yet, despite all the efforts of the Order of Kentigern, the coldfire continues to freeze Valika and its people. Of the few settlements that once existed on Volgen, only a handful now remain, and even those have shrunk as their residents flee the danger—or die before they are able to run. Frozen Cinnabar A recent casualty of coldfire, Cinnabar was a Clan Morgöng fishing community, now encased in ice. Like the other settlements in Kandar, Cinnabar had a Great Hall, as well as residences for the families who lived there. They now stand as icy monuments to the coldfire that swept through the village—and to the unlucky residents whose bodies have become icy statues. But coldfire doesn’t burn or freeze ghosts. The village is now haunted by the souls of the villagers who perished there. These spirits have congregated around a single hearth of coldfire that burns at the center of their Great Hall. A rescue mission, sent by the Order of Kentigern to see if anyone could have possibly survived a week after the village fell, has since disappeared, and their souls have joined the number of undead floating within the Great Hall. The ghosts seek vengeance for their ill fates, but their vengeance has no target: coldfire is a tyrant without a form to take vengeance upon. The ghosts wait, growing their own army of souls with any travelers who dare make their way into Volgen. The Snow Queen’s Palace Despite the dangers, there are a few who reside within the cold, and one of these is an ancient figure known only as the Snow Queen. Her palace rivals those in Charneault, the fine details of its architecture twisted in impossible, fractal shapes. The Svalr say that the Snow Queen has been in Volgen longer than the Valikan clans have been in the north. Some say the Snow Queen is an elemental, a remnant of the early days when the dragon ruled. Others say she is an undead mage, or a fey creature of great power. A rare few believe that it was the Snow Queen who taught the Svalr their tattoo magic and Clan Rune their runesmithing. All claim she holds court within the throne room of her grand palace, host to any who travel there—not due to a code of hospitality, but because she craves company. Some who visit are allowed to leave, but many, many more are held within her enchantments, unable to ever return to their homes or lives. Still, the power of the Snow Queen is said to be vast, and she has collected valuable treasures in her hoard, including a strange, magical mirror said to not only view any land she chooses, but also cast her will upon those within her gaze. The tales of the Snow Queen blessing those brave enough to seek her out with magical tattoos and other enchantments are common enough to lure adventurers—if they can survive Volgen to reach her palace at all. Cinderghast If the Lord Edda is to be believed, Cinderghast has always been a place better suited to fire elementals than humans, and the state of the volcanic islands now supports this theory. But the Svalr tell of a time when the settlement of Varra flourished there, its soil fertile, its crops rich, its people happy. When Rune of the Seven Heroes trapped the salamander Ixlalu there with a curse, the land erupted into the poisoned landscape that now exists. Though few dare visit these islands with their active volcanoes and treacherous waters, a few scholars have braved the journey to find that the Svalr tales have merit. Cinderghast has a vast ruin, covered in ash and buried in rock, where an ancient city once stood. What little has been uncovered by shifting magma and erosion reveals many of the same markings on stone that the Svalr use in their tattoos, indicating that this was a city that belonged to the Svalr. However, there are also stone-shaping techniques that indicate the construction was performed by elemental hands. This suggests to some that an alliance once existed between the Svalr and the elementals, though whether such an accord was the working of Gormadraug or despite him is a matter for debate. In modern times, the islands are bound by a curse that makes study of the ruins difficult. Some areas of the islands are blocked to mortal travel; though visitors can see where they would like to go in the distance, when they walk toward their destination, they find themselves turned around and back at their point of origin. This is the nature of the spell binding Ixlalu and his army of salamanders and fire elementals to Cinderghast. But the bonds of that spell are weakening, in part thanks to the efforts of a party of adventurers led by Ánda the Fox, and the smallest of the fire elementals are beginning to escape. Ánda and his peers believe that freeing the elementals would release a strong tool against coldfire. But after being trapped for hundreds of years, the fire elementals may have their own motives—and may seek revenge on the heirs of the sorcerer who imprisoned them: Clan Rune. “When I was really young, my siblings told me that if I wanted to be warmer I should take some supplies and walk to Cinderghast. It was supposed to always stay nice and warm, and you would never have to stoke a fire or wrap yourself in layers of pelts. I talked for years about how much easier and nicer it would be to live in Cinderghast. That was silly of me! My friends had to tell me about its history!” - Young Clan Rune trainee

46 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Important NPCs The NPCs in this section are meant to serve dual purposes: to be important figures that the characters can interact with, while also being figures that long-term plots, stories, and adventures can center on. Ordun Doransson The chief of Clan Rune since wresting that title from his mother nearly fifteen years ago, Ordun is a powerful mage with even more powerful ambitions. Already showing innate magical talents as a child, Ordun was trained by his mother, Doran, who had shaped the power of Clan Rune for more than thirty years. For her, that power was linked inexorably to the tenets of the Prismatic Circle, and it was under Doran’s control that Clan Rune perfected the arts of magical destruction, shaping the potent runestones that fueled the fury of Thrull raids against the lands of the south. The Vision of Youth. Though Ordun’s skill with shaping the magic of lightning and fire was second to none, he came eventually to see Clan Rune’s focus on such spellcraft as little more than boon work, done at the behest of the Prismatic Circle and Clan Völgr, and creating the impression that Clan Rune were lesser partners in the power of Thrull. In his adolescence, Ordun tried in vain to steer his mother’s mind toward a greater state of independence for Clan Rune, but her dedication to the grim faith of the Prismatic Circle had set her mind. So, when Doran died during a prismatic drake attack while on a pilgrimage to Tyburn, Ordun quickly named himself her successor—and successfully stood down challenges by six of her closest apprentices and followers to claim the clan chief’s role. Plans and Power. Ordun cuts an imposing figure, with a shadowed complexion and sun-bright hair under-shaved and braided. Protected against the elements by his magic, he usually goes bare chested even in the coldest weather, presenting an intimidating presence to all those who meet him. By presenting himself not just as a formidable rune mage but a potent war chief, Ordun has positioned himself in his people’s eyes as an equal to Nolgr Magnusson, chief of Clan Völgr and anointed as Keeper of the Three Tribes by the Prismatic Circle. And as Ordun has done so, the pride and independence of Clan Rune has grown. Few people in Thrull have any doubt that Ordun looks forward to an excuse to challenge Nolgr Magnusson one day, but so far, both chiefs have been careful not to raise the other’s ire. Ordun is wise enough to know that the backing of the druids means toppling Magnusson from power will require patience and careful action—perhaps aided by magic heretofore unseen in the north, which his most trusted apprentices and acolytes are rumored to have been crafting in secret for years.

47 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Nolgr Magnusson Chief Nolgr Magnusson of the Völgr is effectively the leader of all Thrull, though the power he wields requires a defter hand and is less absolute than many observers of the bloody politics of Valika might guess. As the chief of the Völgr clan, Nolgr is the war leader of his people, personally leading raids against lesser clans, the lands of Kandar, and the peoples of the south for nearly three decades. As Keeper of the Three Tribes, he has been invested by the Prismatic Circle with an extra level of authority over Clan Rune and Clan Sýr, at least ceremonially. And Nolgr is a master of ceremony, and a leader whose charisma and personal magnetism have proved nearly as deadly as his axe hand. Blood and Birthright. Nolgr is descended from a line of clan chiefs, and wears his patronymic like a badge of honor. His father, Magnus Roäldson, was a legendary reaver who vastly expanded the range of Thrull’s raids into the southlands. Over a long series of summer campaigns, Magnus’s longboats attacked not only the Charneault Kingdom, but first pushed up the great rivers of that land, laying claim to the bounty of its fertile fields. When his father died in a drunken longhouse brawl, Nolgr killed his older sister Friyda and drove his five-year-old brother Karas into exile in Kandar as he secured his claim to the chief’s role. Defender of the Faith. Nolgr has a close relationship to Hjadana, the Grand Druid of the Prismatic Circle, and proudly acknowledges that this relationship is the foundation of his power in Thrull. When the seas close for winter and the Völgr raids are done, he returns to Tyburn, splitting his time in the dark months between the clan’s high longhouse and the Hollow Hill that is the sanctum of Hjadana and the druids of the circle. Rumors swirl constantly that one or more of Hjadana’s five children have been fathered by Nolgr, but neither has made paternity claims. Furious Future. Though nearing fifty, Nolgr Magnusson retains all the strength and passion of his youth, at least to outward appearances. He towers nearly seven feet tall, his face and arms an unbroken field of tattoos and weathered scars, and his hair is worn long and unbraided. Through drawing near to the age that his grandfather Roäld was when he stepped down as clan chief with honor to make way for Nolgr’s father, the chief shows no interest in anything but a continued life dedicated to blood, battle, and loot. The Völgr warriors who raid with him sing his praises in the longhouses of Tyburn throughout the winter dark, and laud his name when shouting of the power of Thrull spreading ever farther across Etharis. But when their chief and his chosen captains are at a safe distance, those same warriors whisper that Nolgr does not strike as fearsome a presence on the raiding fields as he once did. More than once in the last three years, the clan chief has suffered injuries from blows that would never have landed even a few years before, and a number of Prismatic Circle warrior-druids now fight close to his side at all times in case their healing powers are needed. Hjadana The Grand Druid of the Prismatic Circle for just over twenty years, Hjadana is the spiritual leader of all the Thrull clans, at least in theory. But where the people of the clans might sometimes flag in their obeisance to those dedicated to ensuring that the Great Prismatic Wyrm remains forever asleep, the close ties between Hjadana and Clan Völgr ensure that the folk of Thrull at least fear the Prismatic Circle. For Hjadana, that is enough. The Peril of the Past. The reappearance of coldfire in the northlands fifty years ago catalyzed the fervor of the Prismatic Circle, who for fifty years had preached the awakening of Gormadraug was nigh unless Valikans took action. According to the druid Kybard who founded the circle, blood and sacrifice were the price that must be paid to keep Gormadraug quiescent, so that the folk of the north would need to embrace the old ways of battle, fury, and sacrifice forevermore. When coldfire came back to the northlands, the druids of the Prismatic Circle saw it as a sign that the Great Prismatic Wyrm was beginning to wake, and the southland raids for which blood is both cost and reward intensified. The dread blood sacrifices that are the dark cornerstone of the circle’s faith take the lives of dozens of criminals and thralls each year, along with animal sacrifice that slakes the ritual sites known as the Sentinel Woods with blood. Controlling the Clans. The Prismatic Circle has never held true political power in Thrull and stands outside the tripartite clan structure that defines authority in western Valika. But since the clan leaders of old pledged the folk of Rune, Sýr, and Völgr to the teachings of Kybard, the druids of the circle have been the de facto power behind the chiefs. Thrull is effectively a theocracy in the eyes of Kandar and the lands of the south, with Hjadana seemingly uniting all Thrull under a single vision of battle and sacrifice. But the single-minded focus on reaving that has granted Clan Völgr a special place in the circle’s favor has been slowly chipping away at the clan unity Hjadana desires. The grand druid’s closeness to Chief Nolgr Magnusson of Clan Völgr, and the Prismatic Circle’s presence in the Völgr clan seat of Tyburn, ensures that the bonds between the druids and that clan’s warriors and raiders remains strong. But rumors suggest that the Prismatic Circle has spies in the closest circles of advisers around Clan Rune chief Ordun and Clan Sýr chief Brokyr Bladesinger, monitoring the aspirations of those leaders and their adherence to the tenets of the druids’ grim faith. Ordun in particular has developed a reputation for demonstrating just enough fealty to the Prismatic Circle to avoid the appearance of insubordination, even as he nurtures a sense of independence among his clanfolk. It is thought by many that if Ordun were to relinquish his position—by choice or otherwise— Hjadana would be quick to place herself in a position to help choose his successor, with the backing of Clan Völgr’s warriors if necessary.

48 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika A Mother’s Guidance. Hjadana has five children, all bearing their mother’s ice-blue eyes, petite frame, oakbrown hair, and pale countenance. The identities of their fathers have never been announced or claimed, though many speculate that Clan Völgr chief Nolgr Magnusson is among them. The oldest of the children is Lessa, who at sixteen is their mother’s chief acolyte and second-in-command within the Hollow Hill that is the sanctum of the Prismatic Circle druids. The younger children are likewise acolytes of the circle, but have received dedicated training in the combat, metal craft, and magic that are the hallmarks of the three clans. Hjadana has often spoken of how her children’s upbringing represents the deference and respect she feels for the ways of all three clans. But many of those who know her ambition and her hunger for unity quietly wonder whether the Grand Druid has plans to one day see the Prismatic Circle, Clan Rune, Clan Sýr, and Clan Völgr all brought under her indirect control, whether her children are placed in the clans as key advisers or installed as chiefs in their own right. Brokyr Bladesinger A dwarf captured as a child out of the city-state of Liesech and brought north as a thrall by Valikan raiders, Brokyr Bladesinger is perhaps the most talented smith in Thrull. Just past her seventieth year but appearing younger by far, she sports the immaculately braided black hair, sideburns, and deep complexion common in the southlands—and has been chief of Clan Sýr for nearly three decades. A Life of the Forge. The daughter of veteran metalsmiths, Brokyr had taught new tricks of forging to her superiors even before the bond term of her thralldom had ended, and she elected to stay in Borgund when granted her freedom. Working her way up to the top nivå of that city’s metalworkers over the next two decades, her petition to be accepted into Clan Sýr was backed by Gaerhalm, the clan chief before her. Brokyr’s status as a southlander never threatened her place in the clan, with the folk of Sýr revering talent at the forge above all else. But when she placed herself in consideration to replace Gaerhalm after his death, her relative youth at age thirty—and with her long-lived dwarven heritage making her appear younger still—was a challenge to be overcome. In the end, she and Gaerhalm’s cousin Caerdar undertook a forge trial that saw each attempt to craft a finer blade than the other. But rather than the brutally utilitarian greatsword of Caerdar’s design, Brokyr shaped a handaxe of sublime and deadly beauty that won her the title of sarvif of Clan Sýr. Aesthetic Ambition. Sarvif Brokyr dedicates her life to raising the standards of the weapons and armor crafted by Clan Sýr, directing the forge masters who work under her to experiment with new techniques and approaches to their art and craft. Though she retains few memories of her childhood in Liesech, Brokyr has learned much of the ways of the southlands through thralls brought to Borgund for terms of service, and spends at least one month in summer touring Sýr settlements in Grarjord, speaking to traders and thralls concerning events in the south. She is particularly interested in new developments in armor and weapon craft out of the dwarven city of Stehlenwald, and the Völgr raiders know they risk her personal wrath if dwarf thralls from that area are not sent directly to Borgund. Secret Wealth. Over the decades since Skarfanes became a trading hub under the control of the Bürach Empire, ambitious crafters within Clan Sýr have been known to divert supplies of arms and armor into the hands of clandestine traders willing to run the risks of smuggling such gear through Skarfanes or into Summerhelm. Since Brokyr rose to Sýr Sarvif, she has been vocal about setting checks and regulations into place meant to cut down on the amount of Sýr goods funneled into the markets of the south. But what only her closest advisors realize is that her incentive for doing so has been to take clandestine control of the black-market selling of Valikan weapons and armor—and to ensure that the profits from such undertakings remain with Clan Sýr. Over long years, Brokyr has managed to secret away an enormous amount of wealth in the form of southern Etharian coin. But what she plans to do with this bounty remains to be seen.

49 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Lief Sarvif The name of Lief Sarvif is known across Thrull and Kandar, and increasingly in the lands south of Valika. The story of this lycanthrope insurgent is told and retold in the north, but whether as a tale of warning or a story of hope depends on the listener. From Thrall to Wolf. Captured during a Thrull raid into Kandar, Lief was a young laborer brought into service as a thrall to a small Clan Sýr outpost. Assigned a bond term of working rocky farm fields just south of the circle of shadow, Lief and his fellow thralls were subjected to backbreaking working conditions and the malicious will of their liege lord, Thallas—a cruel overseer who routinely ignored the orders of the wardens of his village to treat his thralls equitably. When Lief made a stand against this treatment, Thallas promised to name him an agitator and send him to be sacrificed beneath the Sentinel Trees. In response, Lief attacked Thallas with the same whip the overseer used to threaten thralls, and Lief fled into the Grensfal foothills. Exhausted by his flight and near starvation, Lief was saved by a most strange turn of events. Attacked by a huge wolf under the full moon and left for dead, he felt the power of lycanthropy coursing through him, transforming and healing him, and granting him the strength to survive. Over a barely remembered year, Lief learned to master his curse, and swore to use the power granted to him by fate to fight back against all who built their lives on denying freedom to others. Returning to the village where he had been held, he tore Thallas’s throat out and freed the thralls still there. Then he invited those who would fight with him to accept his bite, and Lief’s pack was born. Lord of the Pack. Having claimed the name “Sarvif” for himself from the title granted to the chief of the hated Clan Sýr, Lief has built up a werewolf pack some hundred strong over his exile. Most are thralls freed from servitude during bloody raids on villages across Thrull. However, a good number of the pack’s disciples were once free clanfolk seeking an excuse to turn away from the blood rites of the Prismatic Circle. Using stolen longboats, the pack moves freely along the coasts of Grarjord and Thrull from a well-defended island within the Teeth. Nearly two dozen raids against the island by smaller clans seeking to reclaim freed thralls have ended disastrously, but the will to make a larger response remains elusive. Clan Völgr’s leaders maintain that because Lief escaped from Clan Sýr’s bond, it is up to the leaders of Sýr to put his rebellion down. But the Clan Sýr chief Brokyr Bladesinger has called Lief’s actions a direct response to the policies of the Prismatic Circle—policies that some believe gives Brokyr a certain amount of empathy for the pack’s goals—and has formally invited the druids to make their own response. A Free Clan. The success of Lief Sarvif’s raids have surprised him almost as much as they’ve shaken the clanholds the werewolves have routed. And this has put the pack leader in a position of uncertainty as regards his future moves. Many of Lief’s followers have already begun to clamor for him to declare himself the leader of a new clan, potentially drawing in other minor clans who chafe against the power of the Prismatic Circle. With these alliegiances, the werewolves could forge ties with the clans of Kandar that might remake Thrull. But although Lief has already entered into discussions with the Redclaw druids of Kandar for formal support of his campaign against the Prismatic Circle, he is wary of raising the stakes of his battle if open clan warfare is the likely result. “The tale of Lief Sarvif is mystifying. Everyone hears a different moral. Maybe it warns against rebellion; maybe it means to look for strength in numbers.” - Campfire storyteller

50 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Grenhildr The druid Grenhildr was once one of the brightest lights of the Prismatic Circle, and a protege of Grand Druid Hjadana. But a near-death experience on the winter tundra changed her, leading to a schism of faith that might tear Thrull apart. The Salvation of Gormadraug. Separated from the other members of a party returning from Borgund to Tyburn in the last days of light, Grenhildr was lost in a deadly blizzard and thought to be dead. But when she reappeared in Tyburn at the turning of spring, she brought with her a tale of having been saved and fed by prismatic drakes, and spending the winter in a sheltered cavern where Gormadraug the Great Prismatic Wyrm spoke to her. Grenhildr told of how Gormadraug’s long sleep was causing the wyrm’s power to fade to any who would listen, and how the north would come to apocalyptic ruin if that power ever ends. The healers of the Prismatic Circle marked Grenhildr as suffering from some unknown trauma after her season-long ordeal, but the young druid would not be quieted. In the Hollow Hill, she used unknown magic to slay a number of elementals in the circle’s service, claiming that Gormadraug would draw strength from feeding on their power. A death sentence was passed upon her in response, but more unknown magic allowed Grenhildr to escape Tyburn, and to carry her beliefs into the tundra and beyond. The Cult of the Great Wyrm. Everywhere Grenhildr travels, she preaches her belief that sacrifice in the name of Gormadraug will bring the Great Prismatic Wyrm back to the world and prevent the destruction of clan culture across the north. The most zealous supporters of the Prismatic Circle, including the warriors of Clan Völgr, treat her as a heretic. But many of the other folk of Thrull have proven surprisingly open to her views, having seen a century of the Prismatic Circle’s calls for blood and battle achieving little except the renewed resurgence of coldfire—which Grenhildr maintains is a sign of Gormadraug’s strength, and his antipathy toward those who refuse to aid in his awakening. Members of what both Grenhildr and her foes call the Cult of the Great Wyrm operate in secret, exchanging hidden signs to identify each other, and gathering for fell rites in which elementals are trapped and sacrificed to feed Gormadraug. And though the cult’s numbers are still relatively thin, the disappearance of a number of mages of Clan Rune in areas where Grenhildr’s followers are known to operate have led to whispers that magic-channeling creatures of all kinds might be targeted for the cult’s fell rites. “She looked so different when she came back. It was hard enough to imagine she survived the winter. But maybe some part of her did die. Who’s to say?” - Tyburn watchman

51 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Guhjdäl the Revenant A decade ago, the druid Guhjdäl was kidnapped by a Völgr raiding party in Kandar and returned to Thrull, marked as another of that season’s sacrifices within the Sentinel Woods. Guhjdäl was a member of the Lightbringers, and one of the brightest voices of that tradition who believe that preserving life is only the first step in a necessary fight against forces that threaten the destruction of the wider world. For her spellcasting prowess, the veteran druid was offered a place in the Prismatic Circle. Guhjdäl, for her beliefs, which she defiantly proclaimed to her captors even as she swore to never serve their evil faith, was tortured for seven days before being ritually slain. The Prismatic Circle used healing magic to keep her alive while the skin was slowly flensed from her body. When the mercy of death finally took her, Guhjdäl’s last thoughts were of her family, of lost opportunities to do good—and of revenge. The Revenant. Days later, with the druids departed and the remains of those sacrificed alongside her nearly stripped to the bone by wolves and crows, Guhjdäl awoke. Her body had been made whole, and the ropes that had tied her to the Sentinel Tree were torn through. The druid had no sense of what power or fate had returned her to life, and still doesn’t to this day. But she felt the magic it had left in her, elevating her spellcasting prowess to allow her to cast the powerful resurrection spell—and making it clear what she was meant to do. Death and Life. For ten years, Guhjdäl has moved clandestinely across Thrull, visiting the Sentinel Woods in the aftermath of sacrifices, using resurrection to bring back victims of the Prismatic Circle. Over the years, she has gathered followers to her cause, naming her order “the Revenants,” continually expanding its reach and power. Fellow druids have been drawn to her mission, many successfully dedicated to reaching the heights of power required to cast resurrection themselves, with the torture inflicted on the Prismatic Circle’s victims putting them beyond the reach of other life-restoring magic. But it is the leaders of Clan Graevar, who Guhjdäl approached when first returned to life, who are perhaps most important to the order’s work, with the gems they clandestinely provide marking that clan’s hatred of the Prismatic Circle and fueling the Revenants’ magic. Second Chances. It isn’t known how many victims of the Prismatic Circle the Revenants have returned to life, but those who follow the actions of the group believe their resurrections might number in the thousands. After resurrecting the victims, who have been badly traumatized by their experiences, the Revenants give them what succor and guidance they can, and bring the recently raised to sanctuary settlements dedicated to protecting them, providing them new names and new lives. Many of these communities are the holds of smaller clans who had good folk taken by Prismatic Circle druids anxious to meet a sacrifice quota, and whose faith in the circle has been shattered as a result. But many smaller settlements of Clan Sýr and Clan Rune are also known to be sympathetic to the Revenants’ cause. Army of the Returned Dead. Many of those the Revenants save stay with the order, dedicating their skills of combat, crafting, magic, and more to Guhjdäl’s work. And as the ranks of her followers grow, the druid has begun to dream of expanding her mission beyond simply responding to the Prismatic Circle’s depredations. For with enough followers, including many bearing the stark memories of having been executed and brought back to fulfil a greater destiny, she hopes to build an army dedicated to breaking the Prismatic Circle’s power in Thrull. The Prismatic Circle has long been aware of Guhjdäl’s work, of course, and the druid has a sentence of death hanging over her in Clan Völgr lands. But Hjadana, the Prismatic Circle’s Grand Druid, has so far eschewed orders for direct action against Guhjdäl and her followers, understanding that undoing the relatively small number of resurrections the Revenants perform is simply a matter of offering more victims to the Sentinel Woods each year.

52 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Njavesh Luunsdóttir The druid Njavesh is the master of the Foxwood Range (see “Locations”), and one of the best sources of information for characters traveling the tundra and the Grensfal foothills. Born into the Fox Whisperers druidic circle like her parents before her, she was already one of that circle’s most gifted casters and shapechangers before striking out on her own at fifteen. Master of the Tundra. The lore Njavesh knows of the northern tundra includes the tales of the Fox Whisperers, the details of her own two decades of wandering Thrull, and the secrets that the frostbite foxes share with her. Travelers and adventurers who seek her out can make contact with the awakened foxes who patrol her territory. Those asking to meet with the druid in appropriately respectful fashion are led to wherever she happens to be roaming, but foothills travelers who have been injured or who are hunted by Völgr forces and others will often inspire the foxes to bring Njavesh to them. Sinfiot the Seeker Said to be the best tundra guide in Thrull, the ranger Sinfiot is the north’s most legendary tracker and hunter—of escaped thralls. A lanky warrior born to Clan Völgr, he is easily recognized by his tangle-locked blonde hair, threaded with salt-dried fingers claimed as trophies from his most recent catches. A Murderous Legacy. Sinfiot was a well-known raider in his youth, with a reputation for leaving no foe standing. More than once, his hunger for death brought him into conflict with his reaver captains, with Sinfiot continuing to fight alone after surrender had been offered and a cessation of hostilities called. Sinfiot’s career as a raider ended during a series of successful assaults against villages on the river south of Altenheim in the Bürach Empire, led by Völgr clan chief Nolgr Magnusson. With the longboats filled to overflowing with food, loot, and thralls, Nolgr ordered the fleet back to the sea even as imperial forces advanced from their capital city. But Sinfiot defied those orders, convincing three companies of warriors to join him in a foolhardy assault against the Bürach line. Only Sinfiot was said to have survived, escaping capture to make his way back north on foot. Exile and Extermination. Returning to Tyburn to what he thought would be a hero’s welcome, Sinfiot found himself arrested and set for execution on Nolgr Magnusson’s orders. But with a combination of charisma and murderous fury, Sinfiot escaped to the mainland, where he took up his new life. Though thought of as a hero among many of the Völgr, Sinfiot has so far shown no interest in establishing himself as the leader of an independent clan. A lone wanderer, he steals what he needs and attacks anyone who crosses him, wandering Thrull, Grarjord, and Kandar through most seasons. He follows signs and rumors of thralls either fled from servitude, or freed and making their way south to their homelands, ready to exact murderous vengeance for what he perceives as a betrayal of the Valikan way. But he watches also for Clan Völgr hunting parties, who have standing orders to slay the Seeker on sight.

53 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Skallagrim av Iarun One of the best-known mage-advocates of Clan Rune, Skallagrim spends their life wandering a regular circuit of smaller settlements across Grarjord and the borderlands where that territory becomes the wider tundra of Thrull. In addition to meting out justice in the smaller villages of Clan Rune, the advocate dedicates their life to hunting down those who have fled their communities to escape the justice of truth magic, and to avoid atoning for their crimes. Determined Justice. With an eidetic memory said to have been made even sharper by magic, Skallagrim claims that they can remember the name and description of every person of Clan Rune who has chosen to flee their former life rather than face judgement under the law. The number of people they have delivered to justice—or driven from Valika entirely after revealing their subterfuge—numbers in the hundreds. And even nearing fifty years of age, the perpetually tanned, blonde-haired Skallagrim shows no sign of slowing down. Only in the darkest months of winter do they cease their wanderings, returning to Halsfjord to teach their investigative and tracking techniques to other advocates. Crossing the Clans. As strongly as they are revered as a force for justice in Clan Rune, Skallagrim has a somewhat darker reputation among the folk of Clan Völgr and Clan Sýr. For in addition to seeking out secret criminals in Rune settlements, the advocate is known to make longer forays out into the villages and towns of the northern tundra, seeking those who have fled Clan Rune’s justice by swearing fealty to Sýr or Völgr leaders. When they undertake these expeditions, they often seek the assistance of explorers and adventurers to assist them, offering attractive terms and payment in advance. They describe their interest in those they seek as “personal business,” and admits to being a bounty hunter of sorts if pressed. But when they capture their quarry, they use teleportation to spirit them away to Halsfjord for trial, Skallagrim’s short-term allies end up facing the ire of that quarry’s friends and family, who often have no idea why their companion has been taken. Queen Andrea Helsing The best-known name in all Kandar is Queen Andrea Helsing of Hrist. Leader of not only Clan Mithra but the elected war chief of the united alliance of Kandar clans, Queen Andrea is a ruler who must balance the needs of the various clans with the threat of Thrull in the west. While she might claim to have never wanted such responsibility—and truly, she never wished for war—her ambition and desire to drive change and progress in Kandar would have led her to such a position even without the threat of invasion. Though much of her childhood was spent in Hrist, Helsing traveled throughout Kandar with a diplomatic mission from Clan Mithra to the other clans during her youth. She was part of the entourage not as a diplomat herself, but as a bodyguard to Urda Longsight, a Clan Mithra seer and poet. The ancient woman took Helsing under her wing, and though the young warrior never took to the reading of runes or entrails, she learned a great deal about patience and listening—and how knowing what someone wants can be used as leverage when forming alliances or compromises. Some say that the queen, now in her middle years, is still advised by the shade of the seer, who died ten years ago of old age. Once known as a golden-haired shield maiden, Helsing has grayed over the past several years, not only due to her growing age but her worry over Kandar’s fate. Helsing shows her battle scars with honor, frequently wearing sleeveless tunics under a fur cape, so that the old injuries are obviously displayed on her pale arms. Plans for Progress. Helsing is dedicated to the survival of Kandar, free from the Prismatic Circle and the threat of Thrull. She has no philosophical or cultural problem with her fellow Valikans across the border, but she seeks to keep the Clans within Kandar unconquered. To do so means forming alliances beyond historical treaties and althings. It means reaching to the southern lands. Fighting against the prejudice that all the people of the northlands are barbarians has been a struggle, and one of the ways Queen Andrea counters that image is by supporting Hrist’s cosmopolitan look and atmosphere. She welcomes trade with other nations and pursues alliances from those who would offer military or magical aid. In addition to her political alliances, she has savvy when it comes to working outside the rules. She frequently has her agents hire adventurers for tasks related to the war effort, or in creating situations that would lead other cities and nations to ally with Kandar. If some of these missions seem to walk a thin line along the edge of honor, well, she’s not the one carrying them out—that ethical question rests solely on those she has hired. Revna Hostler Among Queen Andrea’s most reliable agents is Revna, her spymaster and a member of Clan Morgöng. The people of Hrist know her simply as Revna Hostler. A woman of slight build and middling height, Revna has hair that’s not quite blond but not quite brown, and skin that’s neither pale nor sun-kissed. Her unassuming appearance that is, in all ways, unremarkable for Hrist allows her to go unnoticed in the city and beyond. In her guise as a stable keeper, Revna runs a building called the Rookery, where many travelers in Hrist keep their mounts during their visit to the city. The stable also houses a parliament of ravens, who carry messages from Revna to her agents in the field. The location is perfect for a constant stream of messages going in and out, and many of Revna’s agents walk through the stables to deliver their news with no one the wiser. Revna’s musculature appears to be built entirely by her work with the animals—barn upkeep involves heavy physical labor. But in truth, she trains relentlessly to keep her reflexes sharp and her senses sharper. The spymaster is deadly with a blade, silent as ice, and subtler than a shadow. None of this shows in her pleasant-but-dull demeanor with customers, who have typically forgotten about her only moments after they’ve interacted.

54 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Odis Another current resident of Hrist, Odis is a foreigner to Kandar dedicated to the study of the Great Wyrm and coldfire. The elf is a scholar, but also a capable mage; the latter has proved less useful in the library of Hrist than it has in the wilds of the north. Odis has made two excursions into the territories of Clan Limgri, but the first winter expedition failed miserably, returning when it was clear he and his hired team had not provisioned correctly for the long winter months. The second expedition traveled during the summer and made it to Cinderghast for two months of study before having to return farther south, where the sun appeared for parts of the day. Odis’s studies have led him to conclude the war itself may be responsible for waking the Great Wyrm—and Thrullish sacrifices, if they are as wretched as they sound, certainly make matters worse. His hypotheses about the return of the Great Dragon have been largely dismissed as panic-raising, and his defeat in two public flytings has led him to reconsider his approach to sharing information with Valikans. In the meantime, however, he has begun to revisit whatever records can be found in the Skald Library, looking for a new lead that will counter the effects of coldfire, and worse. He’s struck up a friendship with Trygve Brewer of the Seiðr & Cider tavern, where he spends his time whenever he comes to a line he can’t interpret. Trygve provides Odis with relevant cultural knowledge to illuminate the Lord Edda, and Odis continues to spend money on cider and mead in Trygve’s establishment—as well as providing an easy target for would-be flyters. Trygve Brewer Proprietor of the Seiðr & Cider, Trygve Brewer has done every possible thing to hide his former life—except sell off or destroy the tools of his past. Trygve is a member of Clan Rune who, in his youth, joined an adventuring party that traveled across Valika, even making their way south to Runeheim. An encounter with the Blood Daggers cult in that city went poorly for the group, however, and Trygve escaped—leaving his companions to their fates. Weighted with guilt around betraying his companions (though staying would have meant his death as well), Trygve fled to Hrist, denying his affiliation with his clan or with magic at all. He took a job with Frode Brewer as an assistant brewer and found he was good at the work. Within a few years, he married his employer’s daughter, Liv, and the pair positioned themselves to take over the Seiðr & Cider in Liv’s father’s old age. Frode Brewer still resides with Trygve and Liv in their home behind the tavern, and Liv is expecting their first child. Trygve is content with this life, but still wracked by guilt over the loss of his friends; he keeps a trunk of his magical equipment and tools in a hidden trapdoor beneath his bed. Varangus Gertrud av Hrist The Varangus of the Mithran army are some of the most skilled and committed warriors of the north, accolades all the truer for Varangus Gertrud av Hrist, drotten of the army at the borderlands between Kandar and Hrist. She is also

55 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter one of the few drottens to have risen to such a lofty position without having a familial connection to Clan Mithra. Gertrud is a downcast (see Grim Hollow: The Players Guide), a lesser angel who has retained none of her angelic powers—but the loss of those abilities has given her a firm sense of purpose. She has embraced her mortality and devoted her life to defending Kandar from whatever enemies may come. In her previous life, Gertrud never rose to a position beyond common soldier, but her many years of experience in battle served to elevate her above her mortal peers. But she views herself primarily as a defender, and thus her sense of strategy is sometimes criticized by other drotten, who would take a more aggressive approach. The Loneliness of the Unnamed Fort. The drotten’s current post is at a fort at the southern tip of the Grensfal Mountains, making it the fort nearest to Hrist. The location is not without difficulties, however; the terrain makes direct travel to Hrist challenging and slow. Gertrud relies primarily on the ravens to communicate with the queen. Gertrud’s status as drotten and her heritage set her apart from her peers, making it difficult for Gertrud to form connections. Her sense of duty helps alleviate some of her loneliness, and her devotion to Clan Mithra’s cause of forming alliances and wholeness in the face of invasion and destruction are a solace on darker days. Her other bright spots are primarily in the personal letters she receives from Revna, with whom she is gleefully in love (though she has no idea whether Revna returns those feelings). But despite her personal feelings of loneliness, the Varangus remains focused on the mission, and she takes to the field alongside her troops as much as her largely administrative and tactical position allows. Bodil Garðr Skald Bodil Garðr never intended to become a military commander. She was quite content proselytizing about the end of the world, sharing her stories of doom so successfully that she was deemed a threat to the city of Solheim. But her exile—supposedly an honor—from Solheim has only furthered her devotion to the Røkkva religion. She wants to hasten the end of the world, and as commander of Cold Iron Keep, she’s been unwittingly handed the tools to further those goals. Commander Garðr was an accomplished skald with a fair hand at runesmithing before she was assigned her current position. As she began interviewing the inmates kept in Cold Iron Keep, she contemplated how she could bind them to her will, sending them out on missions, nominally to stop Thrull’s invasion of Kandar. Putting criminals to use, supposedly helping them to rehabilitate themselves, appealed to Queen Andrea Helsing, who has put more funds into Bodil’s research. Bodil is a tall woman with rich walnut skin and a knifebright smile. She wears her long hair in a complicated pattern of intertwined braids; these are, themselves, a rune working, granting her a protective aura. She dresses simply, carrying with her a shield and baton that double as a percussion instrument as needed—she’s perfected a metal-drumming technique that allows her to accompany herself in the skaldic tradition, should the need arise. A full hird of one hundred soldiers serve at Bodil’s command, giving Bodil the rank equivalent to a hersir in the Mithran military structure. These soldiers are on rotation, as with the rest of the military, as no Varangus have volunteered to serve at the keep. This suits Bodil, given that she means to keep her full plans for the inmates a secret. Twelve scholars and mages also serve at Cold Iron Keep, including runesmith Tove av Eikenbu, a Clan Mithra convert to the Røkkva. While Tove is the only one to fully understand Bodil’s plans, the rest have enthusiastically taken up the problems of maintaining the dangerous inmates, including what might be required to use them in the field. The team is preparing to send their captives on their first mission, a result that will either further protect Kandar—or bring the apocalypse one day closer. Jarl Birger av Summerhelm Jarl Summerhelm is a man of misery. Despite his position of power, he has no desire to actually rule. Instead, he seeks glory and respect from others, and is easily swayed by those who flatter and court his affections. This makes the jarl sadly easy to manipulate, particularly by the spies and thieves within his own Clan. In fact, Clan Morgöng so despises Jarl Summerhelm, it has become a game to see who among them can play the greatest prank on the man, without destabilizing their hold on Summerhelm itself. The position of the city and its black market are far too useful to the clan to be lost. Thus, Jarl Summerhelm has been “invited” to banquets in cities to the south, only to discover that the leaders there never sent such a request for his presence—if they even exist at all. Undeterred, Jarl Summerhelm believes that such pranks are mere opportunities for him to cement goodwill among other leaders, and a surprising number of those attempts bring him exactly what he wants: respect in the moment, if not long term. The rulers of Runeheim (see Grim Hollow: The Campaign Guide's adventure “Facets of Darkness”) have taken notice of Jarl Summerhelm’s easily-swayed nature, and intend to expand their influence further north. Whether this is to expand their control over the Dream Leaves market in the southern lands or to eliminate the flow of Dream Leaves into their city depends on the results of that adventure. Other black-market merchants have interests in keeping Jarl Summerhelm in power, if only because a shift in power would upset their operations in the city. Clan Völgr, on the other hand, see Summerhelm as a strategic outpost from which they could expand their reach into Kandar. The interests in his city have done little to deter Jarl Summerhelm’s traveling, however; he has even refused Clan Mithra’s offer to help guard the city against incursions, instead relying on mercenaries and adventurers to defend the city. Where he gets such impressive funding is unclear, though Jarl Summerhelm often appears to be an idiot, it’s possible he has motives—and resources—no one else is yet aware of.

56 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Taala Brightstar The speaker of Clan Limgri, Taala Brightstar has seen many threats in their long life, but none so frightening as the dual disaster of war with Thrull while coldfire expands its grasp of the north. The elderly druid fears for the future of their people, and does everything they can to ensure that Clan Limgri, along with the other clans of Kandar, will see the new world when it comes. Taala was raised among the wandering Limgri with their family, and was marked as a seer at a very young age. Their talent for nature magic blossomed while Taala was still a child, and they plagued their family by running with the reindeer—sometimes in the shape of a reindeer—making it difficult to keep track of the youth. As they aged, Taala’s temperament evened out, but they still prefer to wear a furred or feathered form to walking with humans. The latter has become a necessity, however, not only due to Taala’s aging body (even shapeshifting has failed to relieve their arthritis), but due to their position as an advisor in Solheim and the central point for all of Clan Limgri’s complaints and concerns. Taala, as a follower of the Lightbringer philosophy, believes in making life as full of beauty and peace for their people as possible. They seek to support the efforts of the Order of Kentigern in staving off coldfire, and speak on behalf of Clan Limgri at althings to request protection for the northern clan from Völgen raids. Taala has also tried to reach out to the Redclaws, hoping that the secretive order will accept aid and support from the united Clans in order to face off against the Prismatic Circle, but the Redclaws remain elusive, perhaps because Taala is only skilled at shapeshifting and not a true shapeshifter. Despite all the troubles plaguing the world, Taala has not lost hope. Taala views themself as a spiritual heir to Limgri Lightbringer, and is dedicated to shining that light against any shadows that encroach on Valika. Thrulldr A giant of a werebear, Thrulldr spends his time equally between his human and bear forms. The leader of the Redclaws can trace his family lineage back to Kentigern of the Wastes, but his hulking appearance is due more to the transformation he underwent as a boy than his Valikan heritage. Even in human form, Thrulldr’s body is covered with dark hair so thick it might as well be fur, and he proudly displays a braided beard that extends down his chest. Among his people, the Redclaw druids, Thrulldr is known for his great rumbling laugh and his generous spirit. But until anyone enters the circle he considers his family, the huge man treats them with suspicion, or even derision. To Thrulldr, druids who have undergone a final transformation to give their bodies a second, permanent shape, are not close enough to the wild to be trusted. For clanfolk who fear Thrull’s invasion, or coldfire’s looming presence, the Redclaws offer a kind of hope for another path, one that embraces their harsh natural world rather than fighting against it. Farmers, raiders, and fishers look to the Redclaws in one of two ways: 1) if it gets worse, we can always seek the Redclaws for shelter, or 2) at least it’s not so bad that we’ve considered joining the Redclaws! Thrulldr views all recruits to the circle as potential allies, but he withholds judgment until an older member of the circle can speak for them. The Redclaws are primarily druids, but other shapeshifters are among their number, and the final test—the transformation into one of the werecreatures within the ranks of the circle—is not determined by skill with nature magic, but strength of heart and will. In this way, Thrulldr has built a widespread following, all beholden to him as their alpha, but few gathered in one place. The Redclaws include both natural-born and transformed shapeshifters. Thrulldr has two daughters who serve as his advisors. His elder daughter, Yrsa, is a werebear like her father, and has chosen a path of battle rather than magic. Yrsa guides a small community of Redclaws who live along

57 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter the Ormralva. Thrulldr’s younger daughter, Thyra, prefers human form to such an extent that rumors circulate among the Redclaws that she cannot shapeshift (never in front of Thrulldr, who would see such comments as a deadly insult). The snow-skinned Thyra, whose platinum hair blends into the tundra, is undisturbed by such rumors, however, as it allows her to keep her other form a secret—and her father uses her as his agent beyond the borders of Kandar. It was Thyra who made the first inroads with the Sarvif werewolves of Thrull. She travels between Lief Sarvif’s pack and the Redclaw enclave in the Njukca Mountains, where her father keeps his primary den, working out the details of their mutual defense treaty. The Sarvif werewolves are the best lead Thrulldr has to directly combat the Prismatic Circle, and Thrulldr aches to meet the war-hungry druids of Thrull by giving them the war they seek—and ending them. Abbot Sanrun A bald half-orc is not what many expect to encounter when they seek out the head of the formerly contemplative Order of Kentigern, but this is exactly what they find in Abbot Sanrun. Old enough to remember a time before the current coldfire crisis—and yet still appearing in his prime—the abbot has a mournful aura. Though he maintains a welcoming and friendly air, especially when greeting recruits to the order, there is always a sense of how much the world and its crises weigh on this man, who intended a life of quiet solitude, not war. Originally a member of Clan Mithra, Sanrun is fully devoted to the Order of Kentigern, and is dismayed at the lack of funding the order has been receiving since the border war began. In fact, Sanrun believes that Kandar and Thrull must unite to face the coldfire crisis, before it freezes the entire north. But such calls for peace are largely ignored in Hrist (or may be the reason Sanrun’s funding has been reduced). Despite this loss, Sanrun has expanded his work in recruiting those who would keep coldfire at bay, reaching out beyond the borders of Kandar and into the southern kingdoms. He is particularly interested in bringing evokers and alchemists into the order, as the first are able to combat coldfire directly with their spells, and the second create the tools with which the rest of the order fights. Alchemist’s fire, burning oils, and exploding casks are among the explosives collected by the Order of Kentigern, and Abbot Sanrun constantly frets that they won’t have enough. That they will never have enough. Still, despite his sorrowful attitude, Abbot Sanrun runs a tight organization, giving rank and status to each member so they know whose commands to obey and where they fit in the hierarchy. The order’s training grounds within Fort Kentigern are extensive, and their work with ice drakes, polar bears, and giant lynxes requires many riders and handlers who are skilled with animals. Druids who are unable to take the final step to join the Redclaws frequently make their way, after their failed test, to the Order of Kentigern, where Abbot Sanrun welcomes them with open arms. Ánda the Fox & Companions Ánda the Fox grew up on tales of Varra, a city of fertile lands, warmed from within the earth to be the most bountiful place in all the north. Varra was a paradise for the Svalr. And the sorcerer Rune, one of the Seven Heroes of the Valikans, ruined that for the Svalr. While Kentigern and their companions are lauded as heroes by the Valikans, the Svalr see them as the first colonizers to the northlands. Ánda listened to these stories, to the tales of the way things once were, and a passion grew in his heart. He would be the one to see Varra restored. He would free the elementals trapped there unjustly by the sorcerer Rune, and usher in a new golden age. Varra’s paradise would once more be home to his people. But Ánda was no sorcerer himself. His face bears the tattoos of his many accomplishments—the longest shows how he led a small team on an elasmosaur hunt, bringing in the longest specimen his people had seen. His skills are as a warrior and a leader, and because of this, he has recruited others better suited for the work of an elemental prison break. His first recruit was Signe Livsdóttir of the Røkkva and Clan Limgri. Signe’s family and Ánda’s had crossed paths many times; though Ánda disagrees with Signe about the necessity of the end of the world, he respects her talents as a runesmith and tattooist. Signe has even designed tattoos of protection for Ánda and the rest of their companions, to keep them safe on their quest. Randi, a raider of Clan Morgöng, encountered Ánda and Signe after a wreck; the two saved her life, and she, in turn, joined their cause. They know little of her past, and though she appears to trust them with her life, she has not yet trusted them with her story, as is frequently the way of Clan Morgöng. Skarde Leifsbairn is the last member of the group, and they intentionally sought Ánda out. How the rumor came to the Mithran skald is something none of the rest of the companions have been able to determine. However Skarde discovered Ánda’s intentions, the skald fully believes in the cause. They believe that releasing the elementals might be exactly the tool the north needs to fend off the coldfire crisis—after all, if the fire elementals once supported the paradise of Varra, as Ánda claims, couldn’t they also heal the Volgen peninsula? Skarde and Signe constantly bicker over the results, as Skarde’s hopeful nature grates on Signe’s nerves, and her dour determination offends Skarde’s sensibilities. While the four have already begun weakening the prison, they haven’t yet undone all the parts of the curse. Skarde believes that the group may need to acquire Ixlalu’s staff, which Rune stole, in order to fully remove the curse. But Ixlalu’s staff has been lost to history, and they can’t follow every rumor of its presence and still make headway on their own. For now, they’ve continued to chip away at the spell, despite the constant dangers of the Cinderghast environment.

58 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Adventure Concepts The lands of Valika are ripe for adventure, regardless of whether the characters are clanfolk or southerners looking to make their fortunes in the (seemingly) untamed wilds of the tundra. The accompanying adventure, Saga of the Seasons, provides a great template for your own adventures. The following adventure concepts can be added to any campaign, or you can expand them to be the centerpiece of a larger story. If you are going to be a player in a Valikan campaign, we recommend leaving this section for GMs only so as not to spoil the adventures they may create from these seeds. Cold Hearted For Low-Level Characters This adventure can take place in spring, summer, or autumn, but works best as a summer story. Near a small settlement where the characters are traveling or staying, the locals panic at the sight of a carnivorous cow (see Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire) dragging a body across the tundra. The hunger-cursed creature is quickly put down (with the help of the characters, if you want to start the adventure with combat). The body turns out to be Hals Konstan, a local artisan who disappeared a year ago—and whose partially eviscerated corpse is frozen solid. You can decide what type of artisan Hals was, perhaps in conjunction with tying him to Clan Rune or Clan Sýr. With no signs of a coldfire incursion in the area, the frozen body creates quite a mystery for the characters. If the characters have previous experience with investigation scenarios or looking into supernatural events, you might have them sought out by Hals’s spouse Ola Skrivar, who yearns to know how their beloved died. Alternatively, Hals might be known to one or more of the characters, with that personal connection inspiring the need to investigate. Missing Person. Looking into Hals’s last movements before he vanished while returning home alone from the local alehouse, the characters can interact with a number of people he was close to: • Ilbmar Lokken, a fellow artisan who had a violent falling out with Hals. • Ragna Eidsness, a trader who brokered Hals’s work, and who Hals claimed owed him money. • Vetle av Schou, a local healer who had been treating Hals for an injury to his hand. • Gustu Evansbaern, Hals’s former spouse and still on good terms with him. • Karinna Jáhkot, Gustu’s current spouse who was notably jealous of Hals before he died. You can attach clues to any of the NPCs, using each to spark roleplaying encounters that should lead eventually to the house of the healer Vetle for the climax of the adventure. Cold Storage. The upper floor of Vetle’s small house is set up as a healer’s studio with a small workroom for crafting herbal tinctures. But characters who search around the house suspect that Vetle knows more than he’s revealed regarding Hals’s disappearance, or can detect magic discover a damaged root cellar door concealed under shrubbery near the house. The root cellar is a magical cold room that once held Hals’s body (and which the carnivorous cow broke

59 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter into). A trap door at the bottom of the cellar leads to a secret alchemist’s laboratory where humanoid organs are used in the creation of powerful potions and elixirs. The Healer’s Secret. When the characters finally face off against Vetle in a location of your choice, he uses the berserker stat block, but replaces his greataxe attack with casting fire bolt at 5th level (+5 to hit, 2d10 fire damage, range 120 ft.), and is able to use his Reckless trait to grant advantage on that ranged spell attack. In the aftermath, notes in the lab reveal that Vetle is actually Gunnar av Formo, a former Clan Rune alchemist and artificer who fled his home settlement two years before, after having been caught using a corpse (dead of natural causes, supposedly) in his alchemical experiments. You can decide what accident or discovery caused Vetle to murder Hals and hide away his body a year before, and whether any other unexplained disappearances in the area might also have been the work of the evil alchemist. The Heir of Völgr For High-Level Characters A mercenary band appears in the foothills of the Grensfal Mountains, led by one calling himself “the Heir of Völgr.” A human in his thirties, this warrior claims to be Nolgr Magnusson’s younger brother Karas—returned from exile in Kandar, and prepared to challenge his brother for the leadership of the Völgr clan. The Exile Returned. This adventure might begin with the characters meeting the so-called Karas by happenstance while traveling, with Karas’s mercenaries lending them aid during an attack by polar bears or a remorhaz. Alternatively, characters with strong connections to the three main clans might be charged with investigating the rumors of Karas’s presence in the east, whether to assess the power of his claim (for agents of Clan Sýr or Rune) or to find and kill him (for a party allied with Clan Völgr). You could frame this adventure as an arduous expedition across the tundra and through small communities, as the characters deal with natural threats and hazards, seek out those who’ve seen Karas’s band on the move, and react to attacks from the Heir of Völgr’s scouts and outriders. Allies of the Heir. Assuming the characters aren’t on the simple mission of assassinating Karas on Nolgr Magnusson’s orders, this adventure can follow a path of roleplay-heavy espionage or straight-up strategy and conflict, as the characters decide how they want to aid Karas with his quest. Combat-focused players and characters (especially characters with strong ties to Clan Rune or Clan Sýr, or who nurture a hatred for Clan Völgr or the Prismatic Circle) might want to immediately help Karas build his army, then act as his captains in a campaign-altering assault on the leadership and power structure of Clan Völgr. For players more into espionage and roleplaying, the adventure could play out with the characters convincing Karas to first establish himself as a leader in Thrull in his own right, using their own experience and connections to help him do so. Such an adventure might culminate in a clash against Nolgr and his loyal forces—or Karas might simply wait for Nolgr to die or be pushed out by someone else before publicly claiming his Völgr birthright. Truth and Consequences. Whether Karas is the true younger son of Magnus Roäldson sent into exile by Nolgr, a known charlatan, or an earnest impostor taken in by a false tale peddled to him as a child is up to your determination. Even if Karas is not a true heir to Völgr, the characters might decide that he will make a better leader for the clan regardless. But in that case, their quest to see him claim the clan seat in Tyburn might become more complicated, as those who learn the truth must be effectively countered—or eliminated. Lars Larsson’s Last Voyage For Low-Level or High-Level Characters For the past month, along the coast of Thrull, fishers and longboat crews have reported sighting a grim and fearful apparition. On nights of fog and no moon, a faint light drifting across the water resolves itself into the spectral form of a longboat with a ghostly crew. The boat is recognizable as a vessel from Tyburn’s reaving fleet, captained by Lars Larsson, which vanished on the return journey from the southlands a year ago. Those who have witnessed the ship report seeing Lars at the helm, shouting unintelligible commands that have his crew throwing ghostly grappling hook lines at observers’ vessels. But ships snagged by those spectral ropes, or those that intentionally draw near the ghost longboat, have come under sudden attack by water elementals. All cursed with seeing the ghost ship flee from it now. Voyage into Darkness. To get the characters into this adventure, they should either have a reason to seek and pursue Lars Larsson’s ghost ship or be lost at sea after dark and have no way to escape the apparition when it appears. Whether the characters intentionally draw close or are snagged by spectral grappling lines, the waters around their boat suddenly erupt with steam mephits (for a low-level party) or water elementals (for a high-level party). But even as the characters fight, the crew of the ghost ship join them, revealing that the spectral apparition isn’t simply trying to draw unwitting crews into elemental ambush. The Island of Souls. With the elementals dispensed with, Lars beckons the characters to follow him, his longship turning for open sea. Characters who do so (or whose vessel is grappled and towed) eventually spot a ghostly glow on the sea, marking an extradimensional nexus from which a rocky island rises. The full scope of the threats the characters might face on that island is up to you. You could create a full exploration adventure—with the subtext that exploring the island is what doomed Lars Larsson and his crew. But that crew is anxious to get revenge, and the spirits accompany the characters to take on creatures that haunt the island—a mix of elementals, mephits, wraiths, or shadows, depending on the characters’ level.

60 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika If you use this as a low-level adventure, having a ghostly crew at their back creates the potential to have the characters face off against more potent foes than they might normally take on. Such an approach might see the characters rolling attacks for Lars’s crew, who use the berserker stat block but are undead, whose attacks overcome all resistance to weapon damage, and who are resistant to damage from nonmagical weapons. The Chalice of Life and Death. At the apex of a longer island expedition, or as a single-shot goal for a shorter adventure, the characters must retrieve a magical chalice floating above a rocky pool at the island’s heart. The chalice is protected by powerful magic that slew Lars’s crew to the last, their magically-preserved bodies still lying around the pool. But overcoming that magic involves a puzzle challenge of your determination, which savvy characters might be better at (even at low levels) than Lars’s hardened battle-focused followers were. Homeward Bound. With the chalice claimed, the unfinished business that kept Lars and his crew locked to the mortal realm is completed, and the spectral figures fade away. The island vanishes as the characters return to the mainland with the chalice, whose powers and place in the campaign are up to you to determine. By bringing back the bodies of Lars and his crew for proper rites, the characters can also gain favor with Clan Völgr. For a final bit of action, you could have the island start to collapse in on itself as its extradimensional magic fails, giving the characters a ticking clock to get the bodies back to their own vessel. Raid on Ashnal’s Tower For Low-Level Characters The tower of the retired Clan Rune mage Ashnal is known to be a repository of powerful magic and valuable lore. But Ashnal’s dangerous reputation has long dissuaded would-be raiders from attempting to break into the windowless tower, set atop a remote hill a day’s walk from the nearest village. When passing through a settlement, one or more of the characters accidentally bumps into Ashnal while the mage is shopping in the local market square (if the characters don’t know Ashnal by reputation, the locals quickly warn them who they’ve inconvenienced). After angrily admonishing the characters, Ashnal takes hold of his purchases and teleports away, leaving the characters to notice a notebook the mage must have dropped when jostled. Ashnal’s Journal. A combination diary and to-do list, the notebook Ashnal dropped offers up all kinds of useful information—including the pass phrases that allow the powerful wards of the mage’s tower to be temporarily bypassed. Learning of the regular market schedule the mage keeps, the characters have the opportunity to journey to the tower, facing minor encounters with a pair of white wolves who guard its approaches. The pass phrases in the notebook are confirmed to be genuine when they open the front door. But even with Ashnal away, the tower remains a challenging site to navigate. Visiting Hours. As the characters explore the tower’s multiple levels, they come up against a number of threats: • Animated books in a magical library (treated as flying swords that deal bludgeoning damage) grow irate if disturbed. • Multiple construct servants (use the homunculus stat block) recognize that the characters are intruders and try to harass them. The characters quickly come to understand that reprogramming the self-healing constructs is easier then defeating them. • A zombie butler in the visitors’ lounge insists on sitting the characters down for tea, whether they want to partake or not. • Ashnal’s white dragon wyrmling pet (summoned from a different world) occupies the mage’s bed when he’s away, and is furious at being disturbed. • A nervous commoner apprentice of Ashnal’s convinces themself that the characters are powerful clan leaders on a visit the mage forgot to schedule. While nervously taking the characters on a guided tour, the apprentice accidentally sets off multiple magical wards that the characters must deal with. Wrapping Up. This adventure can end in two ways. The characters might successfully abscond with valuable lore and a reprogrammed construct servant, making names for themselves as a raiding party—and possibly earning the ire of a powerful mage in the process. Or it might be revealed that Ashnal intentionally dropped the notebook, wanting to attract and assess the skills of young adventuring group for a mission of his own. This latter ending might see the characters become associates of the mage, providing additional hooks for later raids or missions to investigate mysterious magic in Thrull or beyond. The Summoned Spire For Low-Level Characters A great rocky spire some hundred feet high and fifty feet across appears overnight in a remote area of the Grarjord tundra, with no signs of it having erupted from the ground or fallen from the sky. The characters might be drawn to investigate when they come across the spire on a journey, or when word of the site’s appearance is brought into a settlement where they’re staying. Searching around the base of the spire reveals a fissure and a dark interior space beyond. Characters who enter discover a network of tunnels and caverns with unusual “I watched those ‘men’ you could say, swinging those lines toward us. When the second one hit the ship, the sea was rougher than I’d ever seen.” - A sailor who lived to tell the tale

61 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter gravity, erasing any sense of up and down, and extending far enough to suggest that they are infused with extradimensional magic. You can use this setup to build out a cavern crawl of any size, incorporating the following features: • Chambers channeling elemental energy—acid, cold, fire, and lightning—act as gauntlets to be passed through and protect valuable consumable magic the characters can use. • A number of chambers equal to the number of characters are dedicated to lost gods of the north. Each chamber offers a magical boon a character can claim, but that boon comes with a price of your determination. • Undead oblivion leapers (see Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire) stalk the characters, their eerie singing and whistling heard as they follow the party through the extradimensional maze. Based on the undeads’ tactics, the characters can infer that they were spawned from Clan Völgr warriors who died during their own incursion of the spire. The Bigger Picture. When the characters’ adventure is done, you determine whether the spire’s appearance was a random one-off manifestation of magic, or whether it connects to forgotten prophecies of old. The spire might be the first of many to appear across Valika, each marking a site of elemental power. You can decide whether that power can be channeled in the fight against the spread of coldfire or the return of Gormadraug—or whether the spires must be breached and their power shut down before they begin to curse the lands around them. The Transforming Storm For Low-Level Characters In the dead of winter, a minor-clan hamlet, locked down during a three-day blizzard, is hit by a storm of wild magic that turns its residents into ice mephits. When one resident manages to flee to a nearby Clan Rune settlement, artificers there quickly put together a magical antidote that can be delivered in the form of hurled snowballs. But someone must carry the antidote through bitter cold and a blinding storm, then apply it to the mephits against their will. Thankfully, the characters are on hand to get the job done. Incursion and Rescue. This scenario works best if the characters are the only adventuring types in the Clan Rune settlement, or have previous experience dealing with inclement weather and unusual situations. As the adventure unfolds, they must face off against the following: • While the characters travel to the cursed hamlet, a polar bear stalks them, looking for an easy midwinter meal. • A group of ice mephits have set up a cordon around the hamlet, forcing the characters to contend with the curse—and the fact that mephits reverting to their humanoid form do so naked, and must be quickly taken to a place of warmth and safety before they freeze. • In the hamlet’s longhouse, more mephits have imprisoned the few locals resistant to the curse inside ice-barred cages, terrorizing them until the characters intervene. • As the mephits fall to the characters’ magic snowballs, the last of them combine their forms into a mighty megamephit, using the ice mephit stat block with four times normal hit points, double damage on its Frost Breath, and a four-attack Multiattack action. Mission Complete. When the mephit threat is ended, the characters receive rewards from the grateful villagers, and might be called upon by Clan Rune for special assignments. Wolf Moon For Low-Level or High-Level Characters On a night lit by the full moon, a village the characters are traveling through or staying at comes under attack by a pack of wolves whose ferocity and bloodlust seems unnatural. Terrified travelers arriving in the village at sunset report that the wolves have the local roads locked down and the area surrounded as night falls. The Siege. Packs of wolves led by dire wolves make a number of attacks against the village, with the characters joining ranks with fierce locals to drive them back. Any character able to speak with animals, or a local druid NPC, hears the dire wolves snarling orders to “Bring forth Ørjona,” but no one in the village knows that name. The Watcher. At some point during the siege, one of the characters spots firelight in the distance and realizes that someone has set up a camp from which to direct the wolf attacks. The characters are joined by Lessa av Sogard, a local scout, as they make their way to the camp, hindered by the light of the full moon. If this is a low-level adventure, additional villagers can accompany the characters as well. Unless the magic available to a high-level party makes the journey to the distant camp moot, this part of the adventure features environmental challenges as the characters try to stealthily move under the light of the moon. Jakob’s Wrath. Arriving in the camp (whether successfully by stealth or magic, or having been captured or driven forward by wolf patrols), the characters discover that the raid is directed by an evil werewolf named Jakob. For a high-level adventure, Jakob is a fzeglaich or a fzeg, from Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire. Once a member of Lief Sarvif’s pack, Jakob was driven out for his insubordination and bloodlust (after which he was transformed from werewolf to fzeglaich or fzeg, as appropriate). Since creating his own pack, he has obsessively pursued a woman he once loved named Ørjona—who is revealed to be the scout Lessa who accompanies the characters, having changed her name and uprooted her life when she learned of the violent Jakob’s pursuit of her. The adventure concludes with a battle against Jakob (with captured characters first having a chance to free themselves). Lessa, having intentionally joined the characters to face off against Jakob, fights at their side, using the spy or assassin stat block as appropriate for the level of the adventure. In the aftermath, the characters might help to disperse the wolves—or to claim leadership of the pack, whether in their own name or with the goal of returning the creatures to Lief Sarvif’s pack.

62 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika The Case of the Missing Brewer For Low-Level Characters Trygve Brewer (see “Important NPCs”) is a retired adventurer and wizard from Clan Rune, something he keeps secret from everyone in his life, including his pregnant wife, Liv, and his father-in-law, Frode. When he receives a message that one of his old adventuring companions is alive, and in Hrist, he rushes out to meet his friend—only to vanish. Trygve’s wife and friends have no idea where he’s gone, or why. This adventure serves as an introduction to Kandar and Hrist, setting the tone for further adventures in Valika. While the adventure itself is about being haunted by the past, adding actual specters or wights to the adventure to amp up the horror elements would not be out of place. The characters are launched into this adventure when Odis (see “Important NPCs”) approaches the group to investigate his missing friend. The elf scholar was concerned about Trygve Brewer’s health, but Trygve’s wife, Liv, admitted that Trygve has been missing for three days. Her husband is very secretive, so she has been hesitant to reach out to officials to search for him. A Secret Life. Liv is also hesitant to trust the characters, but at Odis’s urging, she tells the adventurers what she knows, which isn’t much. Three days ago, a bland-looking woman Liv thinks might be a hostler arrived at the Seiðr & Cider tavern with a message for Trygve. After he read it, he said he needed to run an errand, and Liv thought nothing of it. But then Trygve never returned. The adventurers can gain further information about Trygve’s last known locations by interviewing Frode, who remembers when Trygve first arrived in Hrist. Frode figured out back then that Trygve was from Clan Rune but has never revealed his secret, and only does so now on high social rolls from the characters. The adventurers can also search Trygve’s room in the house behind the tavern, and with challenging searches can discover the secret panel under Trygve’s bed, where the chest containing his old adventuring gear is hidden. The Rookery. Liv or Odis can direct the adventurers to the Rookery, where Liv thinks the hostler who delivered the message works. While Revna Hostler (see “Important NPCs”) isn’t inclined to share any private information of her clients, because Trygve is missing, she’s willing to reveal the contents of that message to the characters if they will accomplish a task for her. Depending on what the players would enjoy most, this could be a random encounter—fight the dire rats or an urban ooze in her basement, for example—or a skill-based mission in the markets of Hrist. If you’re using this adventure to set up a further campaign, whatever task Revna gives the adventurers can start seeding hints about future adventures. Revna also keeps a log of messages, and characters who want to avoid working with her might be able to sneak into the rafters where the ravens are kept to retrieve a record of the message themselves. Whether on their own or with Revna’s help, they discover that Trygve has been summoned to the Holmgang Arena by someone named Kåre Stormaxe. Holmgang Arena. The arena is an illegal fighting ring, where warriors compete for the title of the strongest. While most of the bouts are single fighter, it turns out that the current high-profile series of fights people are betting on are paired matches: one warrior, one wizard. Because so many people are leery of magic, this event has an illicit feel, and the matches are a fight to the death. The arena is full of black-market activity, and Dream Leaves are plentiful here. Plenty of colorful criminals spend time within these walls, but the fighters themselves are kept within the enclave, and those preparing for this particular match are not allowed to leave the arena until after they’ve finished competing. Trygve and Kåre are, of course, one of the teams preparing for this combat. To be allowed in the competitor area, the characters may either enroll in the lower tiers of combat and fight in the arena themselves, find a way to sneak in, or bribe the “guards” to get inside. Once they find and confront Trygve, they may choose to find a way to help make sure that Trygve and Kåre win their match, whether through honorable or dishonorable means. Honorable characters might go to Trygve’s home to retrieve his adventuring gear; less honorable adventurers might choose to poison competitors or find a way to weaken the competition to make sure that Trygve and Kåre survive. If Trygve survives the match and returns home, the adventurers are paid by Odis—if dishonorable characters didn’t reveal Trygve’s story to his family or friends, they might also choose to extort him for a reward as well. Along the Front Lines For Low-Level or High-Level Characters All of Kandar watches the border tundra, waiting for more than skirmishes to move the war deeper into Kandar’s territory. There’s no shortage of need for soldiers, or adventurers, to be Kandar’s shield. When Völgr warriors begin to amass in the tundra, it looks like a focused siege may soon begin. Call to War. This adventure—which can launch or fit into a greater war campaign—begins with the adventurers being called to join the army. They might be Valikan citizens whose numbers have come up in their jarl’s pledge of soldiers, or they could be adventurers who are enlisting for a season’s pay. Before they can even report to their hersir, however, they encounter a small band of Clan Völgr raiders. As they battle, it quickly becomes obvious that these raiders are already dead—which means that someone is commanding undead in the battle between Thrull and Kandar. For low-level adventures, zombies or skeletons wearing Völgr gear work well for this introduction; higher level parties might face off against corpse walkers from Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire. The Unnamed Fort. When they arrive at the fort, they report to their hersir—only to find that the hersir has never returned from a mission with other troops. They reach the walls of the fort not a moment too soon—another, larger group of undead are attacking. Adventurers and their fel-

63 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter low soldiers can stave off this attack through the weaponry on the walls (ballistae, trebuchets, catapults, burning pitch, and so forth), or they can descend into the fray. Creative players should be rewarded for thinking outside the box in how to defend the fort. The undead should be routed, with a small band returning out into the tundra, leaving a trail behind them. After the battle, the adventurers are called to report to Varangus Gertrud av Hrist, who explains that these undead attacks have been plaguing her troops along the border, although this is the first outright assault on the fort. She sends the characters after the escaped undead, hoping to track them to whoever is behind the attacks. Braving the Tundra. As the adventurers follow the undead deeper into the tundra, avoiding both the undead troops and the real Völgr raiders is a greater challenge. If the players are built well for the wilderness, give them a chance to use their nature skills to conceal their progress and to track down the undead lair. For more combat-heavy groups, encounters with Thrull warriors can either make them nervous about using their resources as they cross the tundra or give them a chance to resupply by stealing the raiders’ gear, as well as striking a blow against Kandar’s enemies. Diplomacy-focused parties might even ally with Clan Völgr raiders also seeking to put an end to the works of this necromancer. Whether by skill or because Clan Völgr is also looking for this location, and their battles have led them here, they ultimately reach a stone tower—something that looks as though it should not exist in the tundra. High-level parties might encounter an actually-transported tower or find that the illusion of the tower is effectively a portal to the tower’s actual location in another part of Etharis—any magic that seems too overwhelmingly powerful for the world amps up the stakes. Low-level parties should see the tower having its stone construction completed by undead minions hauling blocks from somewhere deeper in the tundra. Skalds and Skeletons. The culprits behind the rise in undead preying on both Clan Völgr and the Kandar border soldiers are a necromancer and a bard of the College of Requiems (Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire). At lower levels, the bard is the powerful brains of the operation, and the necromancer is a thrall of the bard, unwilling to attack the adventurers outright. At higher levels, the bard is a supporting Dirgemaster, and the necromancer is the greater direct threat to the adventurers. Combat is a likely option to resolve the undead threat, but some adventurers may want to discover the reason behind this incursion. In fact, the pair are exiles from Clan Völgr with motives of their own. Depending on the direction of the campaign, the two either seek to subdue the Kandar border on their own, thus getting back into the good graces of the Prismatic Circle (a goal at odds with the circle’s own plans of sacrifice, which don’t involve undead). Or they are seeking to get back at Clan Völgr for their exile, and they had no intention of sending the undead after the Unnamed Fort; the science of necromancy is dodgy, and the undead don’t always follow their instructions as precisely as the necromancer would like. In the latter case, the characters could further encourage them to continue their fight against Thrull and form an alliance. However, if the characters have already killed too many undead, or if they made a temporary alliance with Völgr raiders to get here, this is a harder sell—and turning on the Völgr raiders leads to combat regardless. If they survive, the adventurers return to the Unnamed Fort to report on their results. While Varangus Gertrud av Hrist is reluctant to accept an allegiance with a necromancer, she acknowledges the importance of having whatever allies they can gain in the war effort, and lauds the adventurers for their successful mission. If they defeat the necromancer, they receive unabashed praise and a field promotion with the promise of even more important missions in the future. The Curse of Hvítrhvalr For High-Level Characters Whaling is a way of life for the Svalr in the northern reaches of Kandar, but there are some among the Clan Morgöng raiders and hunters who seek whales not for food for their families, but for the rich oils in their blubber. One of these hunters is Captain Tréfótur, a grizzled man with a wooden leg. He has sworn to pursue and kill Hvítrhvalr, the whale responsible for his lost leg, even if his mission kills him and his entire crew. The sailors from Tréfótur’s own village have abandoned him due to his fixation on Hvítrhvalr, which has led to the captain seeking to hire non-Morgöng sailors. Any new sailors who sign along with Tréfótur don’t know about this dark obsession, and see a whaling expedition as a way to earn coin. For the characters, however, there’s a deeper mission: the whale Hvítrhvalr is known to have a thick hide that has been pierced by many weapons, including Bane-Slayer, the legendary double-bladed sword of the heroes Kentigern and Thorgard. While this rumor may be unfounded (Thorgard took the sword to the west to conquer new lands when he disappeared, and Hvítrhvalr is hunted in the waters to the east), certain interested parties would like to see the whale destroyed and the weapons removed from its hide, legendary or not. This adventure is best set in the perpetual low-light of summer in the north, rather than the dark days of winter. The Voyage. The sea voyage starts out from Solheim and sails along the coast toward Volgen. Though initially all goes well, the closer the ship gets to Volgen, the colder it becomes. The threat of coldfire along the coast requires either a fight against the coldfire itself (if the characters have access to enough natural or magical fire), or taking the ship farther into open water to avoid the coldfire coast. In open waters, the ship encounters an water elemental and several ice mephits, intent on sinking the crew. The Storm. Monsters aren’t the worst danger of the northern waters; after the ship rounds Volgen, a storm threatens, and snow and ice rage down on them. Allow the characters a chance to save their longship through their

64 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika own skills and talents, but the odds are against them. Ships that are blown off course crash onto the volcanic Cinderghast islands; the boat can be repaired with parts culled from similarly crashed longboats on the islands’ shores, but the characters must fend off the fire elementals that have broken through the weakened prison holding them in check. Even ships that survive may choose to wait out the storm by coming in to anchor off the Cinderghast isles and be equally threatened by elementals. The Whale. Off the coast of the Cinderghast isles, Tréfótur spots it: the white whale! Whatever state of repair the longboat is in, he demands that the crew return to the water to hunt the great whale. Here the crew can mutiny (Tréfótur can be played as an Unfinished and revealed to be undead all along, or as a powerful, high-level rogue, whose obsession grants him the fighter Second Wind ability once in this combat). They can also choose to follow their captain to Hvítrhvalr, in hopes of slaying the creature in a climactic battle. Hvítrhvalr should offer a substantial challenge, and has a pod of undead narwhals (also called corpse whales) at its call. If you want to add a skill-based challenge, the characters can attack Hvítrhvalr with a harpoon and have the whale drag them through the icy seas, and all the while, they must keep their boat from sinking due to any damage it took during the storm. On success, Captain Tréfótur promptly dies in ecstasy after finishing his quest, leaving the characters in charge of the longboat and any treasure they’re able to retrieve from Hvítrhvalr's flesh. Ättestupa Squad For High-Level Characters Cold Iron Keep is where the most notorious prisoners and criminals in Kandar—mainly foreigners outside the Clan structure—are sent. After months of preparation, Commander Bodil Garðr is ready to send the inmates out on their first mission against Thrull: they will obey, or they will be destroyed by the runic geas tattoos inked on their foreheads. This adventure assumes the characters are either inmates themselves, or have been hired by Bodil to accompany the inmates on their quest. The job is to cross the Thrull border to where Grenhildr, the leader of the Cult of the Great Wyrm, has gathered members of her cult in preparation for a slaughter of captured Valikans. The Crew. For this mission, Bodil has assigned the adventurers to travel with some of her star inmates. • Astar, a sorcerer whose desire for beauty has turned her so unspeakably ugly that she can turn people into stone. Her face is hidden behind a mask. • Riven, a shape changing cultist who can wear the faces of others. • Jormund, a frost giant vampire, woken from his slumber to join this mission. All three of the inmates have their own motives, but are bound by the geas to complete this mission. Notably, however, there are no limits in their geas about how much carnage they can cause while working for Bodil. The Cult of the Great Wyrm. Grenhildr (see “Important NPCs”) has raised a massive cult surrounding her, claiming that enough slaughter will wake the Great Prismatic Dragon Gormadraug. She has captured over three hundred Valikans and travelers for this purpose, and she plans a great ceremony of slaughter to happen on midwinter, in the foothills of the Grensfal Mountains. Crossing the Mountains. The fastest way to the location Bodil has identified for this ritual is over the mountains surrounding Cold Iron Keep. Frost Giants populate the range along the route Bodil has identified for the safest crossing. There’s a tunnel route, as well, but it goes through the deep mines of the dwarves, and in addition to the bioluminescent dwarves of Grensfal not wanting to reveal their existence to the surface world (thus protecting that secret at all costs), the usual dungeon horrors reside in the depths of the mountains. The party could also attempt to fly across the mountains on ice drakes Bodil has somehow commandeered from the Order of Kentigern. The Mission. Stop the ceremony. Keep the crew in check. Kill Grenhildr if possible. While freeing all the sacrificial victims would be, of course, optimal, their survival is secondary to the mission of countering the ritual of the Cult of the Great Wyrm and taking out as many of the cultists as possible. And, if all those deaths wake the Great Prismatic Dragon after all? Bring on the end of the world… Outfoxing the Fox For High-Level Characters Ánda the Fox is on a mission: weaken the prison holding the fire elementals on the Cinderghast islands and set them free. To do this, he has determined that he needs to find the Staff of Ixlalu, the great salamander who once ruled the fire beings of Cinderghast, and who is now bound behind the prison with them. While Ánda and his team work to weaken the prison on their own, he has hired the characters to track down the staff. But other forces seek to keep the prison from falling. Abbot Sanrun of the Order of Kentigern believes that the staff can be used against the coldfire threat, and such a use for the staff will not unleash mad elementals onto Kandar. The abbot has also contacted the party, hoping they will bring the staff to Fort Kentigern instead of to Ánda. Finding the Staff. While many rumors have placed the staff in Thrull, beyond wards in Halsfjord, recent rumors have claimed a black-market merchant brought the staff to Summerhelm, intent on selling it there. Due to the dangers (and slow speed) of travel, the characters may start their adventure in Summerhelm, in the black markets, trying to acquire the staff for themselves. They’re not the only interested party, however. Cultists, criminals, and Clan Rune operatives in the city are also after the staff. The party have to be the first ones to purchase—or steal—the artifact, then make their way out of the city.

65 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 1: Valika Gazetter Pursued by Competitors. If the characters acquire the staff first, they have to travel north, all the way to the Cinderghast isles (or Fort Kentigern) with the weapon, pursued by the same operatives working to acquire the staff in Summerhelm. • The most direct escape route from Summerhelm is through Skuggiskogr, where the party can hire or arrange for a boat at the mouth of the Jakkan River to take them up the northern coast. However, Skuggiskogr is home to not only dark mist stalkers, but Runa Banasár (see Grim Hollow: The Monster Grimoire) and her growing army. If Runa discovers the characters and the weapon they carry, she fully intends to claim that power for herself. • The land route to the Cinderghasts or Fort Kentigern is longer, but sea-wary or forest-wary characters may prefer to travel to Hrist instead. But the city provides no real haven; the same factions operating in Summerhelm also have operatives in Hrist, and a team of fiendish contractors have also caught wind of the weapon’s movement; they seek to contract with the party, guaranteeing them passage to the destination of their choice, as well as fame and glory, in exchange for their souls. And these fiends won’t take no for an answer. Closer to the Destination. No matter which potential employer the characters choose, the other goes after them, not trusting them to deliver the staff. If the party chooses Ánda, Abbot Sanrun sends a patrol from Fort Kentigern, on their ice drakes, planning to use the same techniques on the PCs they use on coldfire: bombing from above. If the PCs head to Fort Kentigern, they face off against Ánda’s high level team, along with a loyal pack of supernaturally-large sled dogs (dire wolves). The Elementals. If the characters choose to deliver the weapon to Ánda, or if Ánda successfully takes the weapon from them to make his way to the Cinderghast islands and the party chooses to pursue, they are present when the elemental prison breaks open. The elementals are not pleased with their long imprisonment, and before Ánda is able to broker a treaty, they launch a devastating attack on all mortals present. Their number is so overwhelming the whole army cannot be defeated. The characters might: • Seek to reignite the prison. To do so, they have to get the staff into place and perform a ritual while keeping the elementals—and some of Ánda’s party—at bay. • Kill Ixlalu. If they can reach the salamander king and kill it, they may be able to stop the attack. • Convince Ixlalu to hear them out. The salamander is out for blood, but even an enraged elemental can be reasoned with, given the right incentives. Long ago, Ixlalu hated Gormadraug, and the party may be able to convince Ixlalu to turn his rage against the coldfire of the Volgen peninsula rather than the characters. What impact this has on Kandar and the Order of Kentigern going forward—or whether the elementals then become a greater hazard to the peninsula than the coldfire was—is unknown.

67 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 2: Character Options Chapter 2: CHARACTER OPTIONS Characters in a Valika campaign must have a different set of skills and a different worldview than those in a typical dark fantasy campaign. Whether they are members of an existing Valikan clan, free agents starting a new clan of their own, thralls escaping from the clutches of a marauding clan, or foreigners striking out into the cold of the north on a quest, the Valikan campaign character can draw from the resources described in this chapter. Two important elements of a Valika campaign are clan affiliation and Valikan subclasses. Using these new rules to create characters and guide their class progression can make characters that fit nicely into the feel of the icy reaches of Valika. Character Creation: Clan Affiliation The northern regions of Etharis, known collectively as Valika, are harsh—only the most extraordinary and powerful individuals can survive there without help from others working toward the same goals. Valikan clanfolk have learned they must band together to survive, and their ancestors have given them the wisdom and knowledge to do that. A strong sense of purpose and camaraderie can unite people, even when they originate from a wide variety of lineages and backgrounds. This clanship provides a shared history and culture they can draw upon for their identity. Most clans are quick to welcome into their fold anyone willing to work for the good of the group. As a result, an individual’s clan matters far more than their racial heritage or lineage when determining their abilities and talents. Clans of Valika have many humans among their numbers, but they are far from the only members of any clan. Because of centuries of thralldom and intermarriage with those who’ve come north of their own accord, the traits of the characters are very different from those elsewhere in Etharis. Characters in a Valika-themed campaign can choose a different method of character creation based on their clan affiliation, building a clan identity instead of limiting oneself to the racial templates provided in other books. Clan Over Species Players in a Valika-themed campaign can start as members of one of the six major clans. At the GM’s discretion, the character might also be from one of the other clans, or even from a clan of the GM’s or player’s own devising. Mix and match the traits provided here to create a list of traits that the player can choose from in creating a character of that clan. Appearance. When creating a character using the Clan Affiliation rules, a player may choose their appearance. They can use any races or species already existing in the Grim Hollow setting, any monstrous species, or even alternatives from other Fifth-Edition products. Other attributes like size or shape can also be selected, with the understanding that the character should be humanoid shaped unless the GM says otherwise. Ability Scores. Assign ability score modifiers to represent the character’s physical and mental characteristics. These bonuses do not need to match the race or species selected as the basis for the character. A character can have a +2 bonus to one score and a +1 bonus to a second, or a character can choose three ability scores to each gain a +1 bonus. Size and Speed. The player may also select either Medium or Small as their size. Medium characters have a base movement speed of 30 feet, and Small characters have a base movement speed of 25 feet. Traits. The character gains three traits from the General category, representing their inherent abilities. Once that step is complete, a character chooses a clan and can select five traits from their clan list, the various traditions and cultures of each clan influencing the training and available expertise the character can draw upon. Clan Rune, for example, specializes in magic, so their traits often relate to spellcasting and arcane knowledge. Selecting a Clan Affiliation does not bind a character to their clan in future interactions, but it’s meant to provide a more specialized history in association with their background and explain the origin of a character’s abilities and traits. Some traits listed in the following section may be selected multiple times to amplify their effects. In that case, the limitation on selecting each trait is listed within the trait description. After character creation, the GM may allow a player to select a clan trait in response to a significant event or instead of selecting an Ability Score Improvement upon leveling a character.

68 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika General Traits Aquatic Arboreal Artificial Form Brave Breath Weapon Darkvision Fey Ancestry Natural Attack Poison Tolerance Powerful Build Standing Leap Toughness Well Protected Clan Limgri Traits Animal Friend Arcane Tutelage Armor Training Athlete’s Spirit Born Healer Divine Sangromancy Driver Elemental Affinity Giantslayer Magical Insight Moved by Faith Natural Camouflage Pack Tactics Polyglot Power Nap Skirmish Tactics Weapon Training Clan Mithra Traits Armor Training Commanding Insight Creature Cover Driver Eager Deceiver Firm Influence Friendly Ear Giantslayer Gifted Performer Inborn Perception Instrumental Persuasive Knack Polyglot Power Nap Slide By Touch of the Past Weapon Training Clan Morgöng Traits Armor Training Commanding Insight Creature Cover Eager Deceiver Fade Away Friendly Ear Giantslayer Inborn Perception Instinctive Stealth Intuitive Acrobat Mindful Investigator Natural Camouflage Nimble Moves Power Nap Shroud of the Wild Slide By Weapon Training Clan Rune Traits Animal Friend Arcane Tutelage Armor Training Connection to Nature Elemental Affinity Firm Influence Giantslayer Keen Survivor Inborn Perception Lucky Magical Insight Natural Camouflage Nature’s Voice Persuasive Knack Power Nap Touch of the Past Weapon Training Clan Sýr Traits Animal Friend Armor Training Artisan Athlete’s Spirit Commanding Insight Craftsman’s Cunning Driver Giantslayer Inborn Perception Keen Survivor Mindful Investigator Natural Camouflage Nature’s Voice Persuasive Knack Polyglot Power Nap Weapon Training Clan Völgr Traits Athlete’s Spirit Armor Training Driver Firm Influence Giantslayer Inborn Perception Instinctive Stealth Intuitive Acrobat Keen Survivor Mindful Investigator Natural Camouflage Pack Tactics Power Nap Relentless Endurance Savage Attacks Skirmish Tactics Weapon Training

69 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 2: Character Options Trait Descriptions Animal Friend Your clan has a strong connection to nature, and you have learned the best way to gain an animal’s trust. You gain proficiency in the Animal Handling skill. Animal Ally. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Animal Handling ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Aquatic Your body is adapted to water, through webbed hands and feet, gills, or some other feature. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed. Amphibious. If you take this trait a second time, you can also breathe both air and water. Arboreal Your ancestors lived in the trees, and you’ve maintained some of their agility. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. Brachiation. If you take this trait a second time, you can move by brachiating, swinging through the trees at a rate equal to your climbing speed. Arcane Tutelage Intensive study in the practical applications of the arcane has allowed you to tap into a natural ability for magic. You learn one cantrip of your choice from any spell list and can cast it using the associated ability score: Intelligence for wizard spells, Wisdom for cleric and druid spells, and Charisma for bard, sorcerer, and warlock spells. If the spell appears on multiple spell lists, choose one to determine the spellcasting attribute for that spell. Arcane Savant. You may take this trait multiple times, selecting a different cantrip or selecting a 1st-level spell from the same list as a cantrip you have previously chosen. You may cast that 1st-level spell once without expending a spell slot, and regain the ability to do so when you complete a long rest. Armor Training Through practice or training you know how to move and defend yourself while wearing armor. You gain proficiency with light armor. If you take this trait a second time, you gain proficiency with medium armor and shields. If you take this trait a third time, you gain proficiency with heavy armor. Artificial Form Rather than being born, you were created by magic or artifice. This unnatural origin lends you certain advantages, but forever marks you as different. You are immune to disease and don’t need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. You still need to rest for a full 8 hours during a long rest. This trait cannot be taken if you have the Power Nap trait. Artisan Your clan is proficient in the production of material goods, and you have been trained in the necessary tools for their manufacture. You gain proficiency with one set of artisan’s tools. Versatile Artisan. You may take this trait any number of times, selecting a different set of tools each time. Athlete’s Spirit In the north, athletic prowess and competition are a common pastime, and your clan excels in such challenges. You gain proficiency in the Athletics skill. Athlete's Resolve. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Athletics ability check at advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Born Healer Through training or necessity, you have learned how to deal with serious injuries. You gain proficiency in the Medicine skill. War Doctor. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Medicine ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

70 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Brave You have a fire in your blood that drives you onward when many others would falter. You have advantage on saving throws to avoid being frightened. Infectious Bravery. If you take this trait twice, you may use your reaction to bolster the spirit of your allies, granting one ally who can see or hear you advantage on a saving throw against being frightened. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Breath Weapon Whether drawn from draconic blood or otherwise, you possess the inherent ability to channel energy through your breath. Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Then choose an area of effect: a line that is 5 feet wide and 30 feet long, or a 15-foot cone. When you use your breath weapon as an action, each creature in the area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw with DC 8 + your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus, or take 2d6 damage of the chosen type. The creature takes half as much damage on a successful save. The damage increases to 3d6 at 6th level, 4d6 at 11th level, and 5d6 at 16th level. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Commanding Insight Dealing with people has given you a keen eye to their motives and mannerisms. You gain proficiency in the Insight skill. Exceptional Insight. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Insight ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Connection to Nature The natural world has a strong impact on life in the Valikan clans, and your clan in particular studies it with an almost holy reverence. You gain proficiency in the Nature skill. Bond with Nature. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Nature ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Craftsman’s Cunning While many clanfolk can craft items, you have made a study of their history and cultural impacts as well. When you make an Intelligence (History) check related to an item, device, building, or material and you have proficiency in the associated artisan tool, you are considered proficient in History and can add double your proficiency bonus to the check instead of your normal proficiency bonus. Creature Cover A tactic favored among the smaller peoples of Etharis, you have learned how to take advantage of larger creatures to fade into the background. You may attempt to hide when concealed behind a creature that is at least one size larger than you. Darkvision Your ancestors were either subterranean or predatory in nature, but whatever the reason you are at home in the darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Improved Darkvision. If you take this trait twice, the range of your darkvision increases to 120 feet. Divine Sangromancy The blood of angels flows in your veins. Whenever an allied creature within 30 feet of you regains hit points, you may spend a Hit Die and add the result to the amount of hit points gained by the ally. Driver Raiders often travel by longship, traders by cart or sled, and the occasional gnomish inventor by means unbelievable, but you have been trained in controlling such methods of transportation. You gain proficiency with either land or water vehicles, or with navigator’s tools. Eager Deceiver Lying is more of an art than a science, and you consider yourself an artist. You gain proficiency in the Deception skill. Expert Deceiver. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Deception ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Elemental Affinity The Valikan clans are steeped in elemental energy, and your clan in particular is in tune with it, either through reverence or opposition. Choose a damage type from the following list: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. As a reaction to taking damage from the selected damage type, you may gain resistance to the selected damage type until the start of your next turn. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Elemental Immunity. If you take this trait twice, you gain immunity to the selected damage type instead of resistance for the same duration.

71 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 2: Character Options Fade Away You have been inducted into the secret arts of stealth known only to a select few. As a bonus action, you successfully hide from any creatures that can see you, effectively becoming invisible until the start of your next turn. You become visible again early if you attack or cast a spell. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses upon completing a long rest. Fey Ancestry The fey have a strong affinity with enchantment and magics that befuddle the mind. Being part fey yourself, you have some natural resistance to those effects. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed. Fey Blooded. If you take this trait twice, magic cannot put you to sleep. In addition, you enter a trance state instead of sleeping, meditating deeply for 4 hours in order to gain all the benefits that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. You cannot benefit from the Power Nap trait if you take this trait twice. Firm Influence Yours is the steady hand that ensures things run smoothly, and the battle cry that strikes fear into your enemies. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill. Terrifying Influence. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Intimidation ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Friendly Ear Everyone has secrets, and you are adept at teasing them out of people. By conversing with a creature for at least one minute, you can attempt to charm them. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw, the DC of which equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier, or be charmed by you for one hour. You also learn one piece of information that the target knows that relates to the topic of your conversation, at the GM’s discretion. Regardless of whether or not the target makes the save, they remain unaware of your attempt. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest. Giantslayer Giants are common in the north, and so are the tactics for dealing with them. The fact that some smaller creatures have applied this knowledge to more common humanoids is a point of some contention. When you hit a creature at least one size larger than you with a weapon attack, you may deal additional damage to it equal to your proficiency bonus. You may use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Gifted Performer You shine in the spotlight. When you want them to be, every eye is on you. You gain proficiency in the Performance skill. A Sight to Behold. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Performance ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Inborn Perception In the north, what you don’t see often kills you. You gain proficiency in the Perception skill. Piercing Perception. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Perception ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Instinctive Stealth Unseen is unharmed. You gain proficiency in the Stealth skill. Calculated Disappearance. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Stealth ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Instrumental The bards and skalds of your clan have taught you the basics for making music. You gain proficiency with two instruments of your choice. Virtuoso. You may take this trait any number of times, selecting different instruments each time.

72 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Intuitive Acrobat Some few in the Valikan clans have come to favor flexibility and agility over strength, and willingly teach any who will learn. You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics skill. Stunt Expert. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Acrobatics ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Keen Survivor Though trade and farming both provide much food and material to the clans, knowing how to survive in the wilds remains a valuable skill. You gain proficiency in the Survival skill. Determined Survivor. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Survival ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Lucky Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that some clans seem to have the luck of a daemon. Others insist they just know the best way to make the most of a bad situation. When you roll a 1 on a d20 for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Magical Insight While lacking an established college of magic, several clans have made it their business to keep up to date on advances in the arcane sciences. You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. Magical Historian. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Arcana ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Mindful Investigator Raiders need to know how to properly search for loot, but spies and those seeking justice also find great value in uncovering what others would prefer remain hidden. You gain proficiency in the Investigation skill. Thorough Sleuth. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Investigation ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Moved by Faith Your clan has taught you a great deal about the various religions of the south, in addition to the various rituals of your own land. You gain proficiency in the Religion skill. Force of Faith. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Religion ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Natural Attack You possess claws, fangs, or some other type of natural weaponry. Your unarmed strikes deal damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier, and the type of damage is either bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing based on the type of natural weaponry you choose. Natural Camouflage Time in the wilderness has given you experience in how to remain unseen. Choose an environment: forest, hills or mountains, tundra, underground, underwater, or volcanic. You have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide while in that environment. Nature’s Voice Animals and animate plant life have their own, simple methods of communication, which you have been taught. Through sounds and gestures, you can communicate simple ideas to Beast- and Plant-type creatures. This gives you no special ability to control such creatures, and you can’t understand or learn information from them. Nimble Moves Light fingers make light work, as many a criminal will attest. You gain proficiency in the Sleight of Hand skill. Exquisite Legerdemain. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Sleight of Hand ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Pack Tactics Your clan knows the value in numbers. You have advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of that creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Persuasive Knack Your clan often must negotiate or sway others to their cause, and teaches these methods to their members. You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. Tongue of Gold. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any Persuasion ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

73 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 2: Character Options Poison Tolerance Your body is unusually resistant to toxins. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned. Poison Resistance. If you take this trait twice, you also gain resistance to poison damage. Polyglot Kandar in particular sees the value in learning languages other than Valiki. You learn two languages of your choice. Language Expert. You may take this trait any number of times, selecting different languages each time. Unless allowed by the GM, you may not select secret languages such as Druidic or Thieves’ Cant. Powerful Build A sturdy build grants those of your lineage greater strength and leverage. You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. A Small creature with this trait may use weapons with the Heavy property that they are proficient in as if they did not have that property. Power Nap When taking a short rest, you may choose to sleep for 1 hour. If you do so, you reduce your exhaustion by one level, and regain one Hit Die in addition to the other benefits of a short rest. Relentless Endurance Fury drives you onward, beyond normal endurance. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest. Savage Attacks Raiding clans have learned strategies for delivering brutal strikes to their enemies. When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit. Shroud of the Wild The most talented hunters are taught how to hide in the open, taking advantage of every subtle change in the environment. You may attempt to hide when only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, or some other natural phenomena. Skirmish Tactics Striking quickly and moving out of reach is a popular tactic for confusing and harrying a more powerful enemy. When you hit a hostile creature with a weapon attack, you may take the Disengage action as a bonus action until the end of your turn. Slide By You’ve been taught the methods for slipping through a packed crowd or maneuvering around a lumbering giant. You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours. Nimble Passage. If you take this trait a second time, you no longer treat other creatures’ squares as difficult terrain. Standing Leap Powerful legs allow you to launch yourself incredible distances. Your long jump is up to 20 feet and your high jump is up to 10 feet, with or without a running start. Incredible Leap. If you take this trait a second time, your long jump increases to 30 feet and your high jump increases to 15 feet. If your walking speed is lower than your long jump, you can only leap a distance equal to your walking speed. Touch of the Past Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, so say your clan elders. You gain proficiency in the History skill. Sought Memories. If you take this trait twice, you may choose to make any History ability check with advantage. You may use this feature a number of times equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Toughness Your lineage makes you more resilient than normal. Your hit point maximum increases by 1, and it increases by 1 every time you gain a level. Weapon Training All the clans know the value of weapon training. You gain proficiency with two weapons of your choice. Weapon Specialist. You may take this trait any number of times, choosing different weapons each time. Well Protected Scales, thick skin, or some other type of natural protection guards you from injury. When you are not wearing armor, your AC is equal to 13 + your Dexterity modifier.

74 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika New Transformations The following new transformations use the same rules as those detailed in Grim Hollow: The Campaign Guide. Transformations are magical or eldritch changes that transform a creature (including characters) into something different. The mental and physical alterations to the creature come with potential benefits, but also terrible side effects that can make survival more difficult, especially when common folk see the monster that the creature is becoming. These benefits and drawbacks are represented in the rules by boons and flaws. These are listed under the transformation features for each transformation. Giant Guards brace the large wooden door against the hulking creature on the other side. As the door explodes into splinters, the guards scatter across the room, pushing one another down or in the giant’s way to ensure their own safety. The giant makes short work of the smallfolk, throwing their bodies around like ragdolls before making her way deeper into the keep for its food stores. As the brown bear rushes towards him, the giant lowers himself into a squat and prepares for the impact. At the moment they meet, the giant lets out a belly laugh, putting the bear into a headlock and wrestling it to the ground. The two twist around on the ground for several minutes before the bear gives up and sits in the dirt beside the giant. “Good boy,” the giant says, before throwing a large fish to the ground. Giants are relics of a harsher time in the world, long before the gods tamed Etharis to allow for the rise of smaller peoples. Most of the giants of Etharis were eliminated over the centuries, but their magical influences, both beneficial and cursed, still linger in pockets around Etharis. Many of the giant clans of old strode the lands of Etharis. The frost giants were most prevalent in their frozen ice castles. The fire giants often warred with them, rising from their magma-filled, subterranean volcanic strongholds. Even the stone, cloud, and storm giants found refuge in the lands of Valika. Of course, no place was safe from the ravages of the brutish hill giants, and their ogre, troll, and ettin servants. This history meant giants exceled at surviving, most famously through their extraordinary size and the capacity for violence that size allows. Giants were a clannish people who respected physical strength, and some postulate that the native people of Valika still have giant blood coursing through their veins. Those who transform into giants may do so because of that giant heritage. Others may come across some latent giant magic trapped beneath the ice or in long-forgotten giant strongholds. Those transforming into giants might find acceptance with the limited number of giants who still call Etharis home, but only after proving themselves worthy of respect by way of personal might or incredible bravery and wit. Becoming a Giant Few mortals have ever transformed into giants or, more accurately, few mortals have survived the experience. Those who were able to transform had some ancient ancestry that included giants, completed one of a handful of arcane procedures, earned the blessing of a giant high

75 The Raider's Guide to Valika | Chapter 2: Character Options priest, stumbled upon some ancient eldritch giant magic, or a combination of these. Becoming a giant isn’t just about growing in size—it also relies on tapping into the primordial prowess of the giants that allowed them to survive against the wilds when the world was new. Growing in strength as a giant often means setting aside planning and reason for instinct and action. Most giants don’t sit around a table plotting the downfall of their enemies; instead, they take the most direct route to their foes and pummel them into submission with their bare hands. Those who show loyalty to their clan, exhibit formidable physical strength, and display decisiveness in war and other contests grow in titanic power. Transformation Features A Giant has the following transformation features: Prerequisites Ability Scores: Strength 13 Roleplay: Complete an arcane ritual, consume a giant’s heart stuffed with alchemical compounds and mashed caterpillars, earn the favor of a giant tribe and undergo a ceremony performed by one of their high priests to bestow the gifts of their titanic ancestors upon you, or accidentally stumble upon ancient giant magic. Some of your abilities require your target to make a saving throw to resist their effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: Transformation Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier Level Milestones The following are examples of possible level milestones for the Giant: • Defeating a creature larger than you. • Intimidating a group of creatures smaller than you into running away or obeying you. • Overcoming a challenge with an extraordinary feat of strength or excessive violence. • Eating a creature the same size as you or larger. • Leading a tribe of giants into battle against another tribe of giants. Transformation Level 1 Starting at the 1st level of transformation, you gain the following Transformation Boons and this level’s Transformation Flaw (or the Alternative Flaw). Transformation Boon Giant Form Your Strength score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1. An ability score cannot be increased beyond 16 in this way. You become a Giant in addition to any other creature types you are. Spells and abilities that affect giants of a specific CR have no effect on you. Transformation Boon Growth Spurt Your body swells as muscles grow and bones elongate, a painful transformation that ends in a towering stature. If your size is smaller than Large, it is now Large. In addition, your maximum hit points increase by 5 and increase by 5 again each time you gain a new Giant transformation level. Your new larger size does not change your weapon damage. Transformation Flaw Big Appetite As your body has grown, so has your appetite. While you once subsisted on a few pounds of food a day, you now must eat one livestock animal a day to feel nourished. You must eat at least 2 gp, or about 200 lbs., of food each day. You cannot gain the benefits of a long rest on a day where you have not eaten enough food. Alternative Transformation Flaw Heavy Soul Your gigantic size extends to your soul as well, making it heavy and burdensome to call back from the beyond. When a creature attempts to return you to life using revivify, raise dead, or a similar spell or effect, it must provide material components worth twice as much as the spell specifies. Transformation Level 2 At the 2nd level of transformation, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons. In addition, you also gain this level’s Transformation Flaw. Transformation Boon Foe Thrower When you are grappling a creature, you can use your bonus action to hurl the creature up to 10 feet. If the creature is smaller than you, this distance is increased by 10 feet for each size category it is smaller than you. For example, if you are Large and the target is Medium, you hurl it up to 20 feet. If the creature lands in an unoccupied space, it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. If the creature lands in a space occupied by another creature or would pass through a space occupied by another creature as part of being thrown, the thrown creature immediately falls prone and the other creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 + your Strength modifier damage and be knocked prone. Increase the damage by 1d6 for each transformation level above 2. Transformation Boon Giant’s Strength Your Strength score increases by 2, to a maximum of 22. In addition, when you raise your Strength score using an Ability Score Increase feature, you can increase it to a maximum of 22.

76 Grim Hollow | The Raider's Guide to Valika Transformation Boon Titanic Resolve When you take damage from a weapon attack, you can use your reaction to shrug off the worst of the harm. When you do, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage taken from the triggering attack. While you have any temporary hit points granted by this boon, you have resistance to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage. You can use this boon a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum once), regaining all expended uses upon completing a long rest. Transformation Flaw Groundshaker Your steps sound like falling trees and no matter how careful you are, you almost always leave destructive signs of your passing. Creatures have advantage on ability checks made to notice you and follow your trail. Transformation Level 3 At the 3rd level of transformation, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons. In addition, you also gain this level’s Transformation Flaw. Transformation Boon Ferocious Slam Your hands sprout jagged growths, visibly pushing through the skin of your knuckles. You can use your fists to make melee weapon attacks as a bonus action. When you hit with your fists, the strike deals 2d6 + your Strength modifier piercing damage instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike. Once per turn, when you deal damage with your fists, you can immediately expend and roll a Hit Die to magically regain hit points equal to the result of the roll + the damage you dealt with your fists. Transformation Boon Mountainous Physique You leverage your towering physique for greater feats of athleticism. Your base walking speed increases by 10 feet. In addition, you count as one size larger than you are for the purposes of determining what size creatures you can shove or grapple, your carrying capacity, and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. Transformation Boon Titanic Wrath When you hit a creature or object with a melee weapon attack, you can channel the wrath of the titans to wreak havoc on your foes. When you do, that attack, and all melee weapon attacks you make until the start of your next turn, deal an additional 1d12 damage. You can use this a number of times equal to your Strength modifier (minimum once), regaining all expended uses upon completing a long rest. Transformation Flaw Boot Quaker No matter what your intentions truly are, you can’t help but provoke feelings of fear in smaller creatures. You have disadvantage on Charisma ability checks made against creatures smaller than you, unless you are attempting to intimidate or frighten. Transformation Level 4 At the 4th level of transformation, you can pick one of the following Transformation Boons. In addition, you also gain this level’s Transformation Flaw. Transformation Boon Enormous Size You go through another excruciating transformation of flesh and bone that concludes with you nearly doubling in size again. If your size is less than Huge, it is now Huge, and your reach increases by 5 feet. In addition, your maximum hit points increase by 20. Transformation Boon Greater Giant’s Strength Prerequisite: Giant’s Strength Your Strength score increases by 2, to a maximum of 24. In addition, when you raise your Strength score using an Ability Score Increase feature, you can increase it to a maximum of 24. Transformation Boon Swallow Whole You can use an action to attempt to ingest a creature within 5 feet that is smaller than you that you have grappled. When you do, the creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed saving throw, you swallow the creature whole. A swallowed creature is incapacitated and takes 13 (2d12) acid damage at the start of each of its turns, and it has full cover from all creatures. At the end of a swallowed creature’s turn, it can make a Strength saving throw. On a success, you vomit the creature up into an unoccupied space of its choice within 10 feet of you. You can only have one creature swallowed at a time. You can vomit up a creature you have swallowed into an unoccupied space of your choice within 10 feet as a bonus action on your turn. Transformation Flaw The Bigger You Are Your prodigious size leaves you vulnerable to creatures whose size make them nearly beneath your notice. Creatures who are at least two size categories smaller than you (Small if you are Large, for example) score critical hits on a roll of 19 or 20 on attack rolls against you.